CAF&PD Minister slams politicization of NAFSA
Source: IT News

Imphal, October 23 2016: Consumer Affairs Food & Public Distribution (CAF&PD) Minister, Ksh Biren today slammed the politicization of National Food Security Act (NAFSA) by some vested interested persons.

Talking as chief guest at the inaugural function of the one day workshop for Media persons on National Food Security Act, at Hotel Classics Rayale Conference, Ksh.

Biren said that instead of acting on the provisions provided in the act and approached to relevant competent authority over non-recipient of his or her share, vested interested individuals are using them as a tool to play political games.

Moreover, due to lack of proper understanding or perhaps with a pessimistic attitude, some agents are intentionally not following to what the act has stated and instead they kept the share of the people at the godown without collecting it for around three four months.

The Inaugural function of the workshop organized by Editors' Guild Manipur was attended by BB Sharma, Commissioner CAF & PD, Prof.Mohendro, Eminent Economist and A Mobi, President Editors' Guild Manipur.

The CAF and PD Minister also dug to some MLAs who justify agents who refused to collect their allotted share.

Ksh.

Biren said that his department is facing lot of difficulties in keeping the rice stock which the agents refused to collect it.

Generally some of the agents refused to collect their allotted shares as some of the beneficiaries whose name were submitted were not provided cards for NAFSA.

Ksh.

Biren said that the Food security act which was introduced during the time UPA government in 2013 was introduced in the state of Manipur only on April 15, 2016.He further said that even as lists of all beneficiaries who are entitled under the National Food Security Act have been submitted but due to technical defect with the NIC which is dealing with the uploading of beneficiaries' names, name of some have been missed out.

As a result rice share is allotted only for those enlisted in the name has been issued, the Minister added saying that those missed out beneficiaries will also be included in the coming days.

On the other hand those who did not get cards can complaint directly to the competent authority but except for few not many people had filed complaint either for not getting rice or for not getting cards.

"NAFSA is and Act and if failed to implement as stated even the officials are liable legal action, People should not forget that there is Food Security allowances for not getting rice under the Act", Biren added.

Appealing the agent to deposit the amount for the rice in proper channel, the Minister said that the CAF& PD is responsible to lift the rice and then deliver it to the fair price shop of the agent.

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