Fair Price Shop Agents' Association clarifies
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 22 2017:
Keishamthong Kendra Fair Price Shop Agents' Association has clarified that the Government's National Food And Security Act which was supposed to be in effect from April last year began only from September for Keishamthong Kendra due to incomplete infrastructure and other inconveniences.
Speaking to media persons, a member of the association, Ningombam Jayenta, said, "The allegations made by Keishamthong Kendra Ward no 13 corporator, Oinam Romita, that the agents supplied rice grains only for four months and kerosene for only three to four months from April last year till now are totally false and baseless.
The people of Keishamthong know the whole truth" .
He said that around 1200 quintals of rice were distributed each month from September to November last year.
"The department has also issued an order enabling individuals with downloaded RC number to get rice even if they did not possess a card.
There are difficulties in projecting the exact number of card holders, as most of the time, the people usually fail to submit proper documents in time", he said.
He further said that acting under the direction of the Kendra's MLA during that time to include AAY card holders, the agents had notified the Department and distributed additional rice grains to the people during the months of December and January and urged the people to approach the Department if they had any queries regarding why rice grains were not distributed to AAY card holders initially.
"There are 4400 to 4500 card holders according to the Department's official figure but rice grains are distributed to 6400 to 6500 people which is the main reason why the card holders are not getting their rightful share", Jayenta said.
He said that rice grains were distributed only from April to August last year due to shortage of provisions at the godowns as a result of the economic blockade and the unavailability of fuel and added that the agents have already submitted utilisation report for the rice distributed.
"Every month, kerosene quota are not distributed in time but even then, the agents distributed kerosene to the public till September last year.
Even if one had a permit, the pumps were empty due to the economic blockade, which led to some inconveniences regarding kerosene distribution.
The representative concerned still has many original unissued permits at hand", he added.