CAF&PD officials accused of speaking under political influence
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 01 2024: Maintaining that he was only defending the rights of the people of his constituency as their rights were violated by Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution (CAF&PD) department, Kshetrigao MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan has called on CAF&PD officials to refrain from speaking under political influence.

Addressing media persons at his Kshetrigao residence on Thursday, MLA Noorul Hassan expressed disappointment that despite the CAF&PD official acknowledging non-distribution of NFSA rice to beneficiaries of Kshetrigao assembly constituency, he has been accused of tarnishing reputation of the CAF&PD minister and the department.

The MLA also revealed that he had requested CAF&PD officials to distribute NFSA rice to the beneficiaries from March 2023 to March 2024 .

On March 21, 2024, the minister informed all MLAs via the media that they could collect the NFSA rice.

Acting on this information, he and ration agents from his constituency collected the rice quota on March 30 .

However, he recently discovered through social media that the DSO had registered an FIR at the Lamlai police station regarding on the matter.

MLA Noorul Hassan also asserted that the media announcement about collecting the rice quota was intended to set the stage for an FIR against him while categorically refuting the director s claim that the rice quota for September and October 2023 was not distributed due to mishandling by the agents.

According to the MLA, the director previously stated that rice for the said months had been distributed as per the norms and utilisation certificate submitted.

He also criticised the decision to release the rice quota for eight months following protests from him and the beneficiaries, and noted that the current distribution excludes about 50 percent of the beneficiaries.

Noorul Hassan also condemned the practice of outsourcing beneficiary card verification to private firms, which he said is illegal, and called for the minister to address these issues.

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