No malpractices in food grain transportation, handling: FCI DGM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 02 2019: FCI Manipur Region Deputy General Manager (R-II) Kamei Gongreipou has categorically stated that there has been no malpractices or corruption in the process of transporting and handling foodgrain in the State.

Speaking to media persons at his Old Assembly complex office this afternoon, Kamei Gongreipou also rejected the allegation of exercising nepotism and favouritism at the time of awarding contracts.

There were allegations of malpractices and corruption in the FCI Regional Office, Imphal and award of contracts to 'near and dear ones' and the same were published in some sections of media and online news portals a few months back, he said.

He then rejected all these allegations as unfounded and added that the these allegations appeared to have been made with vested interests.

He claimed that FCI maintains absolute integrity and neutrality during the whole process of tendering.

Since its inception as a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of CAF&PD, FCI has been instrumental in securing the vision of providing food security to the country.

Its primary responsibilities are procurement, storage, transportation and distribution of foodgrains under NFSA and other welfare schemes such as Mid-Day Meal, ICDS etc, said the DGM.

In addition, FCI has been maintaining enough buffer stocks to cope with unforeseen situations through a wide network of its own and hired godowns.

FCI has five godowns in the State with a total storage capacity of 38,090 MT.

The godowns are Sangaiprou (13090 MT), Ukhrul (5000 MT), Senapati (5000 MT), Jiribam (5000 MT) and Sawombung (10,000 MT).

With the inauguration of four more godowns at Thoubal, Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Tamenglong recently, the total storage capacity has been increased to 52,690 MT.

Meanwhile sanction for construction of new FCI godowns at Chandel, Pherzawl and additional godown at Churachandpur has been received from the Central Government, Kamei Gongreipou said.

The total monthly allocation of rice for Manipur under NFSA is 13,163 MT and there is 31,289 MT in stock, he said and added that FCI does not deal directly with the end consumers.

He also hailed transporters and truckers for their role in shipping rice to Imphal from different rail heads.

Recently, tenders for appointment of regular handling contractors for the newly constructed FCI godowns at Sawombung and Bishnupur as well as ad-hoc handling contracts for Sangaiprou godown were finalised and contracts were awarded to successful contractors.

However, the same process was challenged by some unsuccessful bidders at the High Court of Manipur.

Moreover, on account of a writ petition filed by an unsuccessful bidder at the High Court of Manipur, the tender for appointment of road transport contractors from Jiribam to Sawombung and Bishnupur godowns could not be finalised and the matter is pending, conveyed the DGM.

Nonetheless, e-tenders for appointment of road transport contractors from Jiribam to new godowns at Tangjeng, Thoubal and Churachandpur and also for appointment of handling (loading and unloading of foodgrain bags) have recently been floated.

If the bidders have any grievances, they may lodge complaints to the Grievance Redressal Committee of FCI Zonal Office, Guwahati, he added.

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