J&K: Mufti govt to implement Food Security Act

The PDP-BJP coalition government has decided to extend the National Food Security Act, 2013 to Jammu and Kashmir from February 1, 2016

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh addressing a press conference in Jammu on Friday.PTI Photo (PTI11_13_2015_00008A)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh addressing a press conference in Jammu. (Source: PTI)

IN a move that is likely to rake up a political debate over “erosion” of the state’s special status, the PDP-BJP coalition government has decided to extend the National Food Security Act, 2013 to Jammu and Kashmir from February 1 next year.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed replied in the affirmative when asked whether the Central legislation was coming to the state in its totality, without being routed through the state legislature in view of the state’s special status. “There is no need of a legislation. It is a development Act,” said Sayeed.

Later, Education Minister Nayeem Akhtar said that only the state government’s consent was needed for extending any Central legislation to Jammu and Kashmir. “This consent had been given by the then government in 2013,” he added.

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However, the National Conference, which was on the coalition government in the state in 2013, denied giving consent to implementing the Act in the state. Party spokesperson Madan Mantoo said J&K is the only state where implementation of Food Security Act would have resulted in loss instead of benefit to the people. “Its implementation was not allowed by then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the National Conference will not allow its implementation until people of the state are set to benefit from it,” he added.

Significantly, PDP has always been critical of the NC for extending Central legislations in their totality only through executive consent and without adopting the legislature route.

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