Javid Sofi

Pulwama, July 29: Authorities from the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department in Pulwama district have urged consumers facing quality issues with subsidised food grains to avail the return and replacement facility at their respective fair price shops.

Assistant Director FCS&CA Pulwama, Tajamul Yusuf, told Rising Kashmir that all Tehsil Supply Officers (TSOs) have been instructed to facilitate the return and replacement process for consumers reporting any quality concerns with the food grains.

He said the fortified rice being distributed is enriched with nutrients such as zinc and folic acid, added to enhance its nutritional value.

“The chemicals used in fortification are safe and regularly monitored. FSSAI officials routinely collect samples from the FCI godown for lab analysis,” he said, “So far, we have not received any adverse reports regarding its quality.

”However, residents from several villages told Rising Kashmir that they have been experiencing issues with the quality of the rice distributed at fair price shops over the last three months.

Mohammad Altaf Dar, a consumer, said that while the rice appears clean and polished, it turns mushy and tasteless upon boiling.

“When boiled, the rice grains become overly soft and lose their flavour, making the meal unappetizing for my family,” he said.

He also pointed out the difficulty in getting the grains replaced.Sometimes, requesting a return leads to heated arguments with the shop dealers,” Dar added.

Another consumer, Nazir Ahmad, shared a similar experience.

“The rice grains become bland and mushy after cooking. If this issue continues, we’ll be forced to stop taking the subsidised rice and buy from the market at higher rates,” he said.

Nazir appealed to the Assistant Director to take up the matter to senior officials in the department.

Responding to the concerns, AD Tajamul Yusuf assured that he would take up the issue with higher authorities to ensure proper redressal.

Published Date: July 30, 2025