FPS agents decry non-payment off transportation cost, warn stir
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Mamang

Ukhrul, December 19 2022: Decrying the deprivation of transportation cost by the transport contractor/in-charge concerned for the past eight months, The 44-Ukhrul AC FPS Agents' Association has demanded the government to immediately reimburse the cost already incurred in transporting food grains to their respective FPS centres, failing which they would be forced to launch an intense agitation from next month.

Briefing media persons at Viewland in Ukhrul town on Monday evening, Association president Luingam Lunghar and secretary Ngachonpam Kasar said that while the rationing agents are responsible for the transportation of food grains from the FCI godowns to the fair price shops (FPS) to different locations under 44-Ukhrul AC, they have not been paid the cost of transport expenses for the past eight months, since April this year.

"Our earnest appeal to the transport contractor/in-charge concerned and the relevant authorities is to release the incurred transport cost at the earliest, failing which we would be constrained to launch an intense form of agitation from next month," said Lunghar.

He further said that one Yamba from PK Enterprises was said to be appointed as the transport contractor/in-charge for both 44-Ukhrul AC and 45-Chingai AC and as per norms.

He is required to be present at the time of lifting of rice from the go-down and distribute the transport cost.

However, the person has never shown up and has been evading payment of the transport cost owed to the agents, he pointed out.

He continued that owing to the failure of the in-charge concerned to pay for the transportation, the ration agents have been forced to bear the transport expenses from their own pockets, with each of the agent incurring around Rs 10,000 or more per month depending on the distance.

Lunghar informed that the association has written to the deputy commissioner of Ukhrul district for due intervention on October 28 and shot off another reminder on November 18 last, but there has been no response whatsoever to date.

He said that the association strongly condemned the irresponsible and lackadaisical attitude of Ukhrul DC and the district supply officer (DSO), adding that DSO is not stationed at his workplace on most working days.

"The deprived transport cost is immensely putting a strain on us in rendering our service to the public and the agents may be forced to stop lifting the food grain if the situation does not improve", Kasar said, while adding that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult for the agents to sustain their services.

He revealed that earlier the association decided to launch the stir but had to defer it in view of the festive season.

There are 101 rationing agents under Ukhrul AC and they are all facing the same problem of bearing the brunt of the cost, which led them to decide the course of action in one accord, he said.

According to Kasar, the transport rates should also be set separately for the hills and the valley considering the different topographical conditions and the transport cost involved.

"Currently, same rate of Rs 2 per quintal per kilometre is applied for both hills and the valley.

But this is not applicable in the case of interior villages", he contended.

For instance, the cost of transporting food grains from Ukhrul town to Khangkhui village is at least Rs 7,000, said another agent from Khangkhui village.

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