FPS agents warn of intense stir from February
Source: Chronicle News Service / R LESTER MAKANG
Ukhrul, January 23 2023:
Fair Price Shop (FPS) agents operating in Ukhrul and Phungyar assembly con stituencies have warned of launching an intense form of agitation from February if the authorities concerned fail to address their grievances by the end of January.
Addressing a press conference held at Dungrei bazaar in Ukhrul town on Monday evening, Ukhrul AC FPS Agents' Association president Luingam Lunghar and secretary Ngachonpam Kasar, and FPS Agents' coordinators for Phungyar, Somaya Chithung and Soyo Shinglai stated that the agents are facing huge burden due to non-payment of the requisite transport costs and margin money/ honorarium for the last eight months.
They said that there has been no response from the authorities concerned to resolve their long-standing grievances despite repeated reminders and memorandums submitted to the authorities.
In the event of the authorities failing to fulfil their demands by the end of the current month, the FPS agents of the two assembly constituencies would be left with no other options but to launch an intense form of agitation immediately, they warned.
The FPS agents also accused the District Supply Offices (DSOs) and the district administrations of Ukhrul and Kamjong of deliberately collapsing the system of public distribution.
They contended that the number of registered beneficiaries and the quantity of food grains uploaded on the E POS online transactions are much higher than the same registered at the-re-spective DSOs and that the two miserably failed to tally.
Calling this as a deliberate act to rob the poor and hungry people of their share of food grains by those in the authority, the FPS agents demanded that the gross anomalies be rectified at the earliest.
They further said that FPS agents have been struggling and have incurred huge losses to ensure that the poor beneficiaries have access to the food grain at affordable prices.
However, they have been placed in a tight spot due to lackadaisical attitude of the authorities and that there is high chance of disruption in their services if their grievances are not addressed urgently.
Transport charges should also be set separately for the hills and valleys, taking into consideration the different topographical conditions, they demanded.