IMPHAL, Jul 2: CAF&PD Minister Ksh. Biren today inspected Government go-downs located at Napetpalli and Porompat in the wake of the growing voices of grievances with regard to implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Speaking to media persons after inspecting the godowns, Ksh Biren stated that the State Government has been making all efforts to address all the grievances of beneficiaries regarding implementation of NFSA in the State.
Senapati and Ukhrul districts already have their own godowns. As for Thoubal, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Chandel and Imphal East districts which do not have their designated godowns at present, CAF&PD Department has been working hard to streamline distribution of NFSA rice in these districts under the direct supervision of the department.
For Chandel district, the Government has been exploring a site at Pallel to construct an FCS godown.
If a suitable site can be explored, a godown would be constructed. If not, PDS rice allocation for Chandel district would be distributed from Thoubal for which a godown would be constructed at Kakching.
FPS agents have been facing certain inconveniences in lifting PDS rice due to absence of Government go- downs at many district headquarters. It would a lot more convenient if all the district headquarters have their godowns for food grains.
Meanwhile, renovation of Bishnupur godown has already started. PDS rice for three Assembly constituencies would be supplied from the Napetpalli godown and the Porompat godown would cater to its home constituency, Ksh Biren informed.
Commenting on the incident of taking back NFSA rice to a Government godown, the CAF&PD Minister remarked that it looked like a political drama.
Regarding the incident, a report has been filed with police with a request to pull up the individuals who took away rice from the FPS agent’s home. There are reports about a tacit understanding between NFSA ration card holders and other people who do not possess ration cards to share subsidised rice given to ration card holders. However, according to guidelines, only the ration card holders are entitled to subsidised rice. Nonetheless, the department would launch an investigation into the reports about denial of the exact quantity of rice entitled to beneficiaries under NFSA, Ksh Biren added.
