Imphal, February 09 2009: Clarifying news items in local dailies, the Phungyar MLA Wungnaoshang Keishing said that the news which appeared as 'Erabot refutes, blames FCI' in the February 1 edition of The Sangai Express, about the swindling of 6635 quintals of rice meant for the public of Ukhrul 'is not vague' as alleged by the FCS Minister but "is the truth" while demanding a CBI inquiry against the state FCS Minister.

In a release, the MLA said that the 'swindled rice' in question is for the people of Ukhrul district till October 2008.Clarifying the allegation of the Minister that the quota for the month of November has not been released till date by the FCI, the MLA said that "on inquiry, it is learnt that the State has bot been able to submit Utilization Certificate on time" and added that "this seems to be the hurdle in releasing the State's quota on time".

It also said that it is general knowledge why the concerned Department could not submit the UC on time by indicating that the allotted state's quota of rice released by the FCI hardly reached the public.

The MLA said that on making field visits and enquiries to the villagers of Phungyar constituency, not a single grain of rice was learnt to have been distributed though 6635 quintals of rice had been released.

"Further SKO is normally distributed on monthly quota basis but no sooner did the Minister takes reign over the FCS portfolio, the quota meant for November 2008 till date is yet to be distributed.

The Minister must know where the SKO has disappeared," Wungnaoshang stated.

He also dared the Minister to conduct field visit to district offices, subdivisions and villages along with people representatives of the district, FCI and FCS officials, agents, reporters, etc to highlight the matter and the culprits found involved are booked.

Further, referring to a news item in another paper 'Naharolgi Thoudang' wherein the FCS minister alleged the MLA of a person who does not want peace and is all out to destroy Manipur, the MLA Keishing clarified that it is totally "false" and "unfounded" and demands clarification from the FCS minister on the matter.

Maintaining that as per guidelines on PDS circulated to the Chief Secretaries of States by concerned Union Ministry and Union Home Ministry, the MLA demanded that a CBI inquiry should be recommended against the FCS Minister to do a natural justice.

The MLA also demanded to know from the Commissioner (Science and Technology) of the State as to why a programme was organized in Ukhrul by the Ukhrul District Community Resource Management Society regarding the distribution of solar photo voltaic systems without informing and obtaining consent from the concerned MLA or the HAC.

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