State aims to stockpile adequate food items
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 07 2012: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) in association with the Government of Manipur is reportedly targeting sufficient stocking of essential food items such rice, sugar and wheat before onset of the monsoon season.

It is said that out of the three food items focus would be on shipping in 40,000 metric tonnes of rice within this month while stocking of sugar and wheat in the same period would be maintained at the basic minimum level.

Informing that monthly requirement of rice in Manipur is about 8000 metric tonne, a source opined that in case the targeted rice procurement could be achieved in April past problem of food stock inadequacy consequent to either man-made events or natural calamities during wet seasons on the two National Highways could be mitigated to a large extent.

The source also confided that target to ensure adequate stock of essential food items is in view of past experience of certain organisations' tendency to block the two nationals highways in pursuit of their demands during the months of June to September.

CAF&PD Director M Joy inspecting the Koirengei godown

Speaking to The Sangai Express FCI Area Manager Kshetrimayum Thoiba said that over 1000 trucks are being engaged to achieve the target of stocking no less than 40,000 metric tonne of rice this month.

Informing that based on appreciable food grain production in some States such as punjab the Central Government has issued relevant directives for ensuring adequate stock of food items at all the FCI godowns in the North Eastern region, Thoiba maintained that taking into account frequent issues of food-shortage related problems in a land-locked State like Manipur specific arrangement is being made in consultation with the Government of Manipur to ensure adequate stocking of food items.

Further informing that the food items would be stored at the 13,000 tonne capacity FCI godown at Sangaiprou, 12,000 metric tonne capacity godown of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution of the state Government at Sangaiprou and the Koirengei godown of 7 metric capacity, the Area Manager confided that plans are afoot to store the food items beyond the stock limit of the three godowns.

Stocking of the food items at these godowns had already commenced since the past few days, he added.

In the meantime, CAF&PD Director M Joy today inspected condition of the Koirengei godown where stocking of the food items had started since yesterday.

As the Koirengei facility was not in use in the recent past some of the structures requiring repairing works has also been approved by the Director, along with the consent to ensure setting up of proper facilities such as toilets, site office and residential blocks of FCI personnel and drivers at the godown complex.