Non distribution of NFSA rice in Kshetrigao AC
CAF and PD seeks to set record straight
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 30 2024: CAF & PD Director Robertson Asem has issued clarification pertaining to National Food Security Act (NFSA) rice issue in Kshetrigao Constituency.

Addressing the media at the conference hall of DIPR at Keishampat today, Robertson said that a group of women from Kshetrigao complained about the non distribution of NFSA rice for September and October 2023 in the Constituency during a meeting held at the residence of the Chief Minister last year, following which the District Supply Officer of Imphal East was directed to look into the matter.

Non distribution of NFSA rice in Kshetrigao AC

Saying that the NFSA rice for November and the following months for beneficiaries in Kshetrigao was kept at the State's godown after the District Supply Officer wrote to the department during the inquiry, Robertson added that report of the inquiry conducted by the staff of District Supply Office was submitted to the District Supply Officer on December 5, 2023 .

After the inquiry, the District Supply Officer said that distribution of NFSA rice in Kshetrigao was not punctual and the beneficiaries in the Constituencies were not provided the rice for September and October 2023, he added.

He further stated that the beneficiary cards were also found possessed by the rice agents in Kshetrigao as per the inquiry report.

Saying that the District Supply Officer wrote to the Imphal East SP to book the FPS (Fair Price Shop) agents in Kshetrigao for not distributing rice to the beneficiaries on time, he added that the department received the police report of the inquiry on NFSA rice on March 20, 2024 .

The police report stated that there was no question of delay in distributing NFSA rice in Kshetrigao and the beneficiaries have received the subsidised rice for September and October 2023, the CAF & PD Director said.

He also said that the police report denied the charge of rice agents withholding NFSA beneficiary cards and misusing public property.

Continuing that some women organisations sent a joint representation to the Imphal East DC on April 3, 2024 against the claim that beneficiaries in Kshetrigao have received their share of NFSA rice for September and October 2023, Robertson added that the list of demands put forward by the women organisations were contradictory to the police report.

He said that what the organisations demanded was to hand over the NFSA cards to the beneficiaries and to distribute their share of rice for five months (November 2023 to March 2024) under the supervision of CAF and PD officials.

Saying that DC issued an order to distribute the rice on April 5, 2024, he continued that the Government officials went to deliver rice for four months to two Fair Price Shops on the same day.

The beneficiaries, however, could not produce their ration cards, he said and added that officials returned without distributing the rice as people started agitating.

He said that the DC was also aware of the situation.

Continuing that many fake cards were detected when the officials tried to distribute the rice the second time, he added that the District Supply Officer issued a notification saying that they will distribute the rice after verifying the beneficiary cards.

He said that the District Supply Officer also informed the beneficiaries to submit their cards before May 6 to verify the cards so that the rice could be distributed as soon as possible.

Stating that the tenure of the previous FPS agents ended on March 31, 2024, he added that the District Supply Officer of Imphal East issued another notification on June 14 informing the people of Kshetrigao that pending rice will be distributed after the appointment of new FPS agents.

A notice to engage new FPS agents for Kshetrigao was issued the next day i.e July 15th, he said and added that the Government started preparing to distribute the pending share of rice (eight months) for beneficiaries in Kshetrigao after new FPS agents were engaged.

He further said that there was disruption in distributing rice to beneficiaries in Kshetrigao for November and December 2023 and January, February, April, May, June and July 2024 .

Saying that the Government, nonetheless, has completed distribution of rice for the pending two months and distribution is underway for two more months, he said that work is underway to distribute the rice for the remaining four months too.

He appealed to the beneficiaries who have not verified their cards to come to the District Supply Office and get the verification done.