Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 31 2010:
The fees and charges for transportation of rice from Ramnagar has been fixed in the second State Level Price Monitoring Committee meeting held today.
However, no definite decision could be adopted regarding transportation charges of other edible items, such as lentils, onions, potatoes, cooking oil etc.
The meeting presided by Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Y Erabot was also attended by high ranking officials of different departments.
Prices of rice, sugar, wheat and kerosene have been already fixed under the Targeted Public Distribution System whereas the prices of petrol and diesel and kerosene have been fixed by the IOC.
Briefing media-persons after the meeting, Erabot said that the need to revise transportation charges arose due to several factors.
Deplorable condition of NH-53, division of one load into two trips which otherwise can be transported in a single trip, extra days (7/8 days) taken in transportation of goods from Jiribam to Imphal, hike in prices of petroleum products and the Supreme Court's ruling not to load more than 9 metric tonnes on a truck were some of the factors cited by the Minister.
According to the revised rate fixed by the committee in consultation with the Transport Department, rice transportation charge from Ramnagar to Sangaiprou godown is Rs 35,600 per trip.
As the same rate should be paid by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the committee has made due recommendation to the FCI, Erabot said.
For transportation of rice within the State, the transportation charge has been fixed at Rs 4,420 per truck, per day.
Informing that transportation rate for tankers operating under the IOC is being worked out as an ad-hoc arrangement, the State Government would be paying Rs 5000 per trip to tankers until the IOC revises the transportation charge and fix a new rate, the CAF &PD Minister further said.
However, for other edible items like dal, common salt, cooking oil, onion, potatoes etc, the Transport Department has not revised the transportation charges and no rates fixed as yet.
This shortcoming is being endured by the State since the abolition of the Chamber of Commerce because of the volatile law and order condition, Erabot added.