Jammu, Mar 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Transport department on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) is hiring mini load carriers from a private contractor for transportation of food grains, while denying any irregularity in the billing process or rate fixation.
In a written reply to a question by MLA Gurez Nazir Ahmed Khan, the government said the hiring of private load carriers was a fact, but rejected the charge that JKRTC was sending these hired vehicles instead of its own trucks from CAPD issue stores to dealers.
The reply stated that the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) department earlier managed transportation from CAPD stores to dealers at their own level, and JKRTC was only entrusted with transportation from FCI to CAPD stores. However, in 2024, the transportation from CAPD stores to dealer level was also assigned to JKRTC.
During the early phase of this new assignment, five vehicles of JKRTC and five of the contractor were extended by CAPD officials to the nearest dealer level, and payment along with penalty was recovered from the contractor, the government said.
The department said that the billing procedure for L-1 transportation — movement of food grains from FCI depots to departmental stores — could not be extended to the doorstep delivery mechanism due to fundamental differences in nature, scale and operational structure.
The government said the doorstep delivery system entails transportation of food grains from departmental stores to approximately 2,900 Fair Price Shops (FPS) located across remote, hilly, snow-bound and geographically dispersed areas. The operation involves multiple trip-wise deliveries, varying route lengths, smaller vehicles, ponies, and even manual carriage in inaccessible locations.
Regarding complaints, the department disclosed that contractor Sh. Arshdeep Singh of M/S Vikas Transport had lodged multiple grievances on various platforms including the JK Grievance Cell, PM Grievance Cell, SAMADHAN Portal, Anti-Corruption Bureau and Crime Branch. The Corporation submitted comprehensive replies with documentary evidence before all these forums.
On rate fixation, the government said a committee headed by the Managing Director is the competent authority under SRO 157 dated April 26, 2001, to fix freight rates annually. The committee rationalised the freight structure by averaging district-wise rates — some dating back to 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022 — and allowed an enhancement of approximately 10 per cent per annum after considering fuel prices and operational costs.
The FCS&CA department, however, conveyed disagreement with one condition relating to full truck load charges and revised the minimum vehicle utilisation outside municipal limits from 20 kilometres to 10 kilometres.
The contract is valid for two years and is expiring on March 31, 2026, the government informed the House. No cancellation has been ordered the reply further reads.
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