J-K godown shifting issue: Centre directs FCI to expedite

The Centre has directed Food Corporation of India to expedite shifting of FCI godowns from highly-congested Shaheed Gunj area of Srinagar to the city's periphery, officials today said.
Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to relocate godowns of FCI and Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department to decongest the city.
The issue to relocate godowns from Shaheed Gunj area in Civil Lines was raised by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with the Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan who met her here this afternoon.
"Mehbooba sought the Union ministry's technical and financial assistance for relocating these godowns to the outskirts of Srinagar to decongest the core area," a statement said.

"We have almost all our important hospitals and other critical infrastructure in the vicinity of these godowns and movement of trucks to and from there causes massive inconvenience to commuters," she said adding the government has decided to shift them to the city's periphery.
The chief minister said around 100 kanals of land which would be available in Shaheed Gunj area after relocation of FCI godowns can be used to create recreational and parking facilities for the people.

It was decided in the meeting that till a permanent site is identified for relocation, the Corporation can for the time being shift the storage facility to Lethpora in Pulwama district where enough space is available.

The Union minister asked the Deputy General Manager of FCI to personally visit Shaheed Gunj storage facility on Monday and ensure shifting of these storage facilities to outside the city at the earliest, an official spokesman said.
Mehbooba also sought additional foodgrains for the state to meet the requirement for implementing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) which was rolled out today.
The government will be spending around Rs 400 crore on the purchase of grains for distribution among the people at subsidised rates under MMSFES.
The other issues raised by her with Paswan included providing funds to the state on a 90:10 ratio under e-PDS scheme for end-to-end computerisation, construction of silos at Anantnag, Budgam, Pulwama, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur, adjustment of CAPD labourers in FCI, and financial support for setting up of 11 food testing laboratories in the state.

Paswan assured the chief minister that the issues flagged by her would be addressed on a priority basis, the spokesman said.
The minister said he would be convening a meeting in New Delhi next week to thrash out these issues.