Imphal, August 19 2009: As the State Government has not lifted its PDS sugar quota for long from the Dimapur godown of Food Corporation of India (FCI), due to unending bandhs and blockades, the Corporation has given away the allocated State quota to Nagaland even as the stock of sugar with the State Government has run out completely.

An official source disclosed that as there is no possibility of transporting the allocated sugar quota, lying in the FCI godown at Dimapur to Manipur, due to frequent imposition of bandhs and blockades and as the same could not be allowed to remain at the godown for long, FCI has allotted the sugar quota of Manipur to Nagaland.

The sugar quota had been reportedly brought from Maharashtra and deposited at the FCI godwn at Dimapur.

Before taking the decision of giving away the sugar quota of the State to Nagaland, FCI had communicated to the Government of Manipur to provide necessary security, the source said, adding that if necessary escort could be arranged then there would not have been any problem on movement of the trucks carrying PDS items.

Meanwhile, as the State Government has not been able to lift its allocated quota of sugar, the price of sugar in the market has been esclating with one kilogram of sugar costing upto Rs 35 .

In consideration of the blockade along the National Highway 39, the General Director of FCI in-charge of Manipur and Nagaland has reportedly written to the Executive Director of the Corporation, to stop transportation of rice and other PDS items along the National Highway until restoration of normalcy.

The General Manager has also reportedly sought the permission to give away the rice quota of the State, lying at the FCI godown at Dimapur, in view of the request of the Nagaland Government for providing rice in connection with festivals to be held at Mon, Mokokchung and Tuensang districts.

Manipur has been wracked by bandhs and economic blockades in the last few months.

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