Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has said the chief minister was constrained to clarify to allegations (made by ACAUT) that rice meant for beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA) were being siphoned off in the department of Food and Civil Supplies, a portfolio held by the chief minister.
CMO media cell said the chief minister had on June 27,2016 while inaugurating the NFSA for Kohima and Dimapur, had maintained that beneficiaries under AAY and Priority Household (PHH) would what was due such as 35 kg per ration card holder under AAY at Rs.3 per kg and 5 kg per head at Rs.3 under PHH.
On the issue of repackaging rice from jute bags to plastic bags, the CMO explained that it was also raised by various north eastern states with the union government at the meeting in Guwahati on October 3 and 4, 2016. CMO said the matter was also clarified by the secretary consumer affairs, Food & Public Distribution government of India, that the ministry was not in a position to make up for any loss arising out of spillage and wastage during transportation and storage.
Due to losses on account of spillage etc, CMO said beneficiaries used to complain about not receiving their full quota of grain as prescribed and so the F&CS department on being asked by the chief minister, pointed out that the department had written to the stockists on November 4,2016 permitting them to repack rice from jute to durable plastic so that the right proportion reached the beneficiaries.
CMO said a misconception appeared to have been implanted in the minds of the general public that departmental supply of rice ought to be on in jute bags. Since damages and spillages occurred during improper handling during transportation of the rice packed in jute bags, resulting in inaccurate and shortages when delivered to targeted group, CMO said it was considered to repack rice in plastic bags in order to reach beneficiaries in matter of days for distribution.
CMO disclosed that 14,03,579 population in Nagaland were being covered under NFSA with 47,500 ration card holders under AAY covering a population of 2,09,657, and a total of 2,37,434 ration card holders under PHH covering a population of 11,93,928.
CMO also made known that Centre allotted food grain according to the number of ration card holders and not a kilogram more or less. CMO said it was inevitable of some shortfall at the beneficiary level since said spillage and wastage of grains, invariably takes place at various stages of transportation and storage process.
CMO said that since the whole case “has been misinterpreted and misprojected in the media” and where it was depicted that corrupt activities are taking place with the “assumed blessings of the Government”, the Chief Minister was constrained to request the general public to first give the repackaging process a chance and see if the beneficiaries get their due share, before jumping the gun and crying foul, blaming and criticising as if one has some political axe to grind. CMO said the chief minister had on several occasion urged upon the beneficiaries and the public to bring it to his attention if they do not get the prescribed amount of food grain. Such concern must also be appreciated.