With food storage depot inaugurated by PM...Food shortage likely to be addressed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 04 2019:
The problem of food storage, particularly those coming under NFSA allocations in the State will be solved to a great extent once the food storage depot at Sawombung Awang Leikai, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today becomes operational.
The utilization of the newly inaugurated food storage depot will enhance the food storage capacity in the State to 42,090 metric tonnes, from the existing 32,090 metric tonnes in the FCI's food storage depots at Sangaiprou, Ukhrul, Jiribam, Senapati as well as the State's food storage depot at Koirengei (hired by FCI).
Mention may be made that the NFSA's monthly food grain allocation of the State is around 12920 metric tonnes (excluding allocations for other welfare schemes) and as per the Government's guidelines, the NFSA's allocation has to be stocked for four months in advance.
Hence, the required buffer stock (for four months) of NFSA allocation in the State is around 51,684 metric tonnes.
Apart from NFSA's allocation, there are allocations for other welfare schemes, such as Annapurna scheme, Scheme for adolescents, Mid-day-meal and their allocations usually come every quarterly.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Deputy General Manager of FCI (Regional Office, Manipur) Kamei Gongreipou, emphasized the need for constructing food storage depots in every district of the State.
He maintained that increasing the number of food storage depot in the State will go a long way towards effective implementation of NFSA in the State as well as fulfilling the objectives of the said scheme.
Further stating that the allocations for Government's Welfare Schemes will change when more beneficiaries are enrolled or added, the Deputy General Manager informed that new FCI food storage depots are being constructed at Thoubal and Churachandpur while proposals for constructing such depots at Noney and Pherzawl are still pending at the Ministry level.
The FCI, Regional Office at Manipur, is planning to start operation of the food storage depot at Sawombung Awang Leikai within this month (January), he informed, adding that the NFSA's allocation distribution to the agents will be done from there.
Maibam Choijot Singh, who claimed to be the special contractor responsible for handling the construction of the FCI food storage depot at Sawombung Awang Leikai, conveyed that the said food storage depot was constructed at a cost of around Rs 14 crore.
He added that the food storage depot comprises of two main godowns having food storage capacity of five metric tonnes each, besides an office cum canteen, a weight-bridge and a lavatory.