Bonanza for employees: DA raised by 6%, old-age pension goes up
In a major decision, the Cabinet today decided to go beyond the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by enhancing ration per head from 5 kg to 10 kg, involving nearly Rs 1,500 crore annual financial implication.
The government launched a new scheme, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES). The enhanced quantity of ration would be provided to a population of nearly 1.19 crore through the MMSFES in addition to the NFSA.
Consumers would have to pay more for subsidised ration compared to rates fixed under the NFSA. Under the new mechanism, the government tried to follow the old practice of providing 35-kg ration per family.
In its first meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the chair, the Cabinet enhanced dearness allowance of government employees and pensioners by 6 per cent (from 113 per cent to 119 per cent) with effect from July 1, 2015. The decision involved financial implication of nearly Rs 332 crore annually.
“We reviewed all provisions of providing ration to people. It was decided to launch a scheme in the name of late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to ensure a minimum level of ration per head. We decided to provide 10-kg ration per head. For a family of two, 10 kg will be given under the NFSA and the rest under the MMSFES. A family of three will get 15 kg under the NFSA and 15 kg under the MMSFES. A family of four will get 20 kg under the NFSA and 15 kg under the MMSFES,” said Naeem Akhter, Minister for Education and Cabinet spokesperson.
Flanked by Minister for CAPD Choudhary Zulfikar Ali, Akhter said subsidised ration would be provided on the basis of “food preference” in view of different food habits of people in geographically different parts of the state.
“In the Kashmir valley and other hilly parts of the state, people normally consume rice. We have kept a provision of 35-kg rice for a family if it intends to take only rice. In Jammu, the government will provide 75 per cent ‘atta’ (flour) and 25 per cent rice to consumers at a uniform scale. There will be area-specific preferential treatment to anyone under the new mechanism,” he said.
The decision would put an additional burden of Rs 1,497 crore on the state exchequer annually, the spokesperson said, adding that the enhanced ration would be provided at the rate of Rs 13 per kg for flour, Rs 15 per kg for rice and Rs 12 per kg for wheat. “It was the desire of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to tap all loose ends in the ration scheme for taking Jammu and Kashmir towards a welfare state,” Akhter said.
The Cabinet increased old-age pension of government employees aged 80 years and above. The increase would be calculated on the basis of basic pension of pensioners. The government would provide 20 per cent additional amount on basic pension to those in the age group of 80 to 85 years and 30 per cent to those between 85 and 90 years of age. It would be 40 per cent for those aged between 90 and 95 years, 50 per cent for those aged between 95 and 100 years and 100 per cent in age group of 100 years and above.
4 women police stations
The Cabinet decided to create four new women police stations, one each in Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri and Udhampur districts in the first phase. A total of 208 vacancies were created to make these police stations functional.
Bonanza for Durbar move staff
The Cabinet approved revision in temporary move allowance from Rs 1,500 per month to Rs 2,000 per month with effect from April 1, 2016. It enhanced Move TA from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per employee per move, effective from the Durbar Move in April 2016.
Rs 1,500-cr expenditure
The enhancement in ration per head from 5 kg to 10 kg involves an annual financial implication of nearly Rs 1,500 crore. Ration under Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme will be provided to a population of around 1.19 crore, in addition to the NFSA. Under the new mechanism, the government has tried to follow the old practice of providing 35-kg ration per family.
