J&K: Issuance of Ration Cards for e-Shram Card Holders

J&K: Issuance of Ration Cards for e-Shram Card Holders

In a significant move aligning with the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the General Administration Department of Jammu and Kashmir has issued Government Order No. 1624-JK(GAD) of 2023 on 18th December, 2023.

The order outlines the following key points:

1. Issuance of New Ration Cards: Eligible Jammu and Kashmir registrants identified on the e-Shram Portal by the Labour & Employment Department will be granted new ration cards. This responsibility will be undertaken by the Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department.

2. Nodal Department Designation: The Labour & Employment Department is designated as the Nodal Department. It will provide necessary details, including Aadhaar numbers, of the registrants to the Assistant Directors of FCS&CA in the districts. Additionally, the department will ensure wide publicity of this facility.

3. Constitution of Monitoring Team: A dedicated team comprising key officers is constituted to monitor the entire process, ensuring compliance with the directives/orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

The team includes the Labour Commissioner, Director of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department (Jammu/Kashmir), a representative of the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district, a representative of the State Informatics Officer (NIC), the Assistant Labour Commissioner of the concerned district, and the Assistant Director of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs of the concerned district.

The order emphasizes expeditious compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions and underscores reporting any instances where targets assigned by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India for a district are exceeded.

In such cases, immediate reporting to the FCS & CA Department is mandated to address the situation and seek potential revision of capping if required.

This directive reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by migrant laborers, aligning its actions with the broader humanitarian concerns outlined by the Supreme Court.