Bodies urges Social Welfare Department
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 10 2013:
Kuki Students' Organisation, Sadar Hills (KSO-SH) and Senapati District Students' Association (SDSA) have urged the Social Welfare Department to revoke the decision of dropping the hill based contractors in the implementation of Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) .
In a joint press statement, the two bodies said that it is learnt that an order is being issued to engage three valley based firms for the transportation of food grains for implementation of WBNP ignoring the hill based firms.
Although, many hill based contractors were also in the fray in the tender process, these contractors including the hill based firms which had been transporting goods for the Department since past many years were unceremoniously dropped.
Saying that the recent development wherein only three valley based firms has been finalised is unaccpetable as it smacks corruption and discrimination, the two bodies demanded that the said order be cancelled.
The two bodies also demanded that the award of contract for transportation of rice under Sabla Scheme to M/s Gandhi Agency be cancelled.
Maintaining that the student bodies are ready to go any length to ensure that no prejudicial treatment is meted out to the hill based firms, the bodies also cautioned the three selected firms not to engage in any transportation activities under the Department until the issue is amicably settled.
Meanwhile, Churachandpur District Students' Union (CDSU) has also demanded the Social Welfare Department that the service of previous contractors of hill districts be restored for proper continuation of WBNP scheme.
Saying that the extension order of three months must be withdrawn and declared null and void, the union said that it would launch agitation if the demand is not fulfilled.