Ram Vilas assures full fledged FCI regional office
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 15 2015: Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan today assured the State Government and the people of the State that a full fledged regional office of FCI would be commissioned soon at Imphal.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for construction of FCI godowns depots for Bishnupur and Imphal East districts this morning at the FCI regional office located at Old Assembly Complex today, Ram Vilas Paswan stated that laying of broad gauge railway track in Lumding-Silchar sector which are affecting the TPDS in Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura would be finished before March 31 .

Apart from Ram Vilas Paswan, the foundation stone laying function was also attended by C Viswanath Chairman and Managing Director FCI, Chief Minister O Ibobi and M Okendro Minister CAF&PD and Education as presidium members.

Ram Vilas Paswan at the foundation stone laying function

Giving the welcome address of the function, C Viswanath stated that several schemes have been taken up by the Food Corporation of the India in various States of the country.

He asked the State Government to provide land required for construction of food grain storage depots at Tamenglong and Chandel and to finish the ongoing construction works of FCI godowns at Churachandpur and Thoubal so that the same depots can be commissioned without undue delay.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister O Ibobi highlighted the problems faced by the State regarding transportation of foods grains and non-functioning of the FCI regional office which was opened at Old Assembly Complex in January last year.

He said that since the past many years transportation of FCI food grains is one of the major problems faced by the State due to many unwanted circumstances unlike Nagaland which has railway connection up to Dimapur.

After sustained pressure and the request by the State Government to the Central Government to open a regional FCI office for the State, one such office was finally opened in January last year but the regional office is not functioning properly as the office is not full fledged.

With attorney of power not yet devolved, the office is still not in a position to invite tenders and select transporters.

Ibobi stated that as the FCI regional office of the State is still dysfunctional, officers and staff of the regional office are unable to discharge their duties to the full potential.

Claiming that the State Government has been working hard to implement the National Food Security Act in view of the immense benefits it would provide to the people of the State, the Chief Minister highlighted the State's limited resources and sought the Central Government's assistance in implementing NFS Act.

Responding to C Viswanath appeal to provide land for construction of food storage depots at Tamenglong and Chandel, Ibobi assured that the required lands would be provided to FCI after acquiring the lands by the State Government in the larger interest of the people of Tamenglong and Chandel districts.

Minister Ram Vilas Paswan stated that FCI regional office of Manipur would be made full fledged very soon and all the requirements would be fulfilled within a short period of time.

He then asked the State Government to look after the safety and security of FCI officers and employees as the FCI is directly run by the Central Government and officers and other employees will be here from all over the country once the regional office becomes full fledged.

He confided that he had a long discussion yesterday with railway officials regarding the Lumding to Silchar broad gauge work over telephone and also with the Railway Minister and Railway Board Chairman when he was in Assam.

The railway officials assured that the same track upgradation work would be completed by March 31 .

"Yesterday, I had a meeting with some truck drivers and owners and they shared their problems and difficulties faced on highways and elsewhere such as holding tenders for selection of FCI transport contractors outside the State.

After March 31, Manipur will have a full fledged FCI regional office and the tenders will be held in Manipur," stated Ram Vilas Paswan adding that local people should be given preference during selection of transporters.

He claimed that food storage depots of 10,000 metric tonnes and 5000 metric tonnes capacity for Imphal East and Bishnupur districts for which foundations have been laid today would be able to cater to food grain requirements of the two districts for three months.

The total requirement of food grains is 580 lakh tonnes, out of which around 450 lakh tonnes are transported through railways and the total capacity of the godowns all over the country is 750 lakh tones.

The total capacity of the FCI godowns located in the North East is 5.02 lakh tonnes.

Due instructions have been already issued to build more godowns which would have a total capacity of three lakh tonnes, the Union CAF&PD Minister informed the gathering.

The total godown capacity of Manipur is 33423 tonnes whereas the State needs godowns having total capacity of 57000 tonnes.

For this, the Ministry has already planned to construct a godown each in Jiribam, Imphal East, Senapati, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Chandel, Churachandpur and Tamenglong.

Once these godowns are constructed, the State would have additional storage capacity of 27500 tonnes, Ram Vilas stated.

He also expressed his desire to come to Manipur every year and ensure that the State makes rapid strides on the path of development.

Meanwhile, the Transporters' and Drivers' Council (TDC) has conveyed gratitude to the Union CAF&PD Minister for his assurance to make the FCI regional office of Imphal a full fledged office shortly and initiate necessary measures to address woes of truck owners and drivers of the State by March.

The Manipur Truck Owners' Welfare Association and TDC president Ranjit thanked Ram Vilas Paswan for giving them an opportunity to submit a memorandum at a felicitation function organised by MLA K Shyam at Lilong Chajing Mairenkhong yesterday.

The Union Minister also assured that holding tenders for selection of transport contractors will be allowed to be conducted at the Imphal FCI regional office.

This would go a long way in addressing the plight and difficulties of transporters and contractors alike, many opined.