ASKS NAGALAND GOVT TO IMPLEMENT FOOD SECURITY ACT
Lamenting that Nagaland was the only state in the country that has not implemented the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013, the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday asked the Nagaland state government to implement the Act immediately.
“We want National Food Security Act to be implemented immediately so that people of Nagaland can be benefitted”, said Paswan, who is in Nagaland to hold review meeting with officials of Food Cooperation of India (FCI) Nagaland region.
Reminding that the Act was to be implemented by July 2014, the Union Minister said if NFSA was implemented in Nagaland the present food grains allocation to the State, which is 1, 27,668 metric tonnes (MT), would be increased to 1, 38,000 MT.
Paswan further said that if the Act was implemented, 47940 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cardholders, 77,095 Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders and 59,000 Above Poverty Line (APL) cardholders in Nagaland would be benefited.
Under NFSA, the union minister said 79.83% people would be covered in the rural area while 61.98% would be covered in urban area, adding that every person would get wheat at Rs. 2 per kg and rice at Rs. 3 per kg. He informed that under NFSA the central government would give 75% of the transportation cost and that 25% have to be paid by the state government.
For implementation of NFSA, Paswan said there were some important components namely digitisation of beneficiaries list, online allocation, supply chain management, SMS system of relaying information to beneficiaries. Besides digitisation of beneficiaries list, Nagaland has implemented other components.
The Union Minister said for digitisation under NFSA, the central government, out of Rs. 10 crore, has released Rs. 5.53 crore as the first instalment. He also pointed out that Nagaland government has not released 10% of the State share for the same.
Emphasizing on creating awareness to masses on Public Distribution System (PDS) items and to address the grievances, Paswan said he has informed officials of FCI Nagaland region to release advertisements and also install grievances cell.
“Nagaland government has been receiving 100% of its share and if a state is lifting 100% of food grains whether it is going to the beneficiary or not should be known”, said the union minister.
He added that through digitisation it would be known whether food grains meant for the beneficiaries was distributed rightly or not.
The union minister also informed that he would be inaugurating FSD Phesema, Kohima godown (4950 MT), which would be completed by September, 2016.
Further, Paswan also expressed regret that Nagaland government was not availing Hill Transport Subsidy. In this regard, joint secretary (BP&PD), department of food and public distribution, Deepak Kumar explained that Nagaland was entitled for the scheme, which was meant for every hilly states.
“Nagaland state has not been utilising it for some time, they are not getting their share of money in that so we are requesting them that they should utilize the transport subsidy for transportation of food grains”, said Kumar.
On Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Report, 2015, which detected misappropriation and loss amounting to Rs. 402.66 Crore in Food and Civil Supply Department, the union minister said the same did not fall under its jurisdiction.
He said if the matter was related to FCI Nagaland region then the central government would initiate action.
“We are getting many complaints from many states but we cannot do anything, state government has to act on it”, said Paswan. However, since the matter has been brought to him, Paswan said he would ask the State government to address the issue.
Will implement NFSA by July: CM
Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang exclusively told Nagaland Post that the State would implement National Food Security Act 2013 by July 1, 2016 in a phased manner. The first phase would cover Kohima and Dimapur districts followed by other nine districts.
The chief minister said Nagaland could have declared implementation of NFSA anytime if it was “just to satisfy” government of India. However, he said that the government has to be “realistic” as there were “practical problems” faced in the ground.
He cited some problems as lack of banking system in rural areas, non-release of Hill Transport Subsidies for the last 12 years by FCI and printing of ration card for beneficiaries which take at least 2-3 months. Zeliang asserted that Hill Transport Subsidies should be released immediately.
On release of digitization fund, Zeliang acknowledged that the state government received Rs. 5.53 crore as first installment, which, he said, has been utilized judiciously.
He also informed that Nagaland government would be releasing 10% of the state share by this month (April) and was hopeful that second installment would be released.
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