RANCHI, Sept. 14 -- Jharkhand food and civil supplies minister Irfan Ansari has urged the Centre to immediately release Rs.2,276,565,128, saying the delay is hampering the department's functioning, including payment of commission to fair price shop dealers, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday. In a letter to Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution Prahlad Joshi, Ansari said the department is directly connected to the general public. However, due to the continuous indifference and step-motherly behaviour of the Central government, lakhs of poor families in Jharkhand are unable to reap the benefits of the scheme on time, Ansari said in the letter. "The payment of dealer commission, transportation and handling charges has been pending for months, due to which there is deep dissatisfaction among the dealers and supply personnel across the state, and protests are taking place every day," Ansari said in his letter, a copy of which is with HT. Underlining the urgency of releasing the funds, Ansari, who is also the state health minister, stated it was not only a financial constraint but also a direct crisis for the food supply system of Jharkhand. "If the central government does not take immediate action, the public distribution system in the state may be disrupted, which will affect crores of poor families." The minister warned that the negative attitude of the central government will not be tolerated. "If the central government does not take a concrete decision in this direction soon, then I will go to Delhi and meet the Union minister to put forth my point. The people of Jharkhand have always trusted the Centre, and this trust cannot be broken," Ansari said....