Variance in NFS sections crops up, Govt furious
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 29 2013: Certain va-riance has cropped in the Sec- tions of the National Food Se-curity Act as compared to the sections incorporated when it was brought out by the Govern-ment in the form of an ordi- nance.

This variance has left the States and Union Territories of the country in a state of uncertainty.

Meanwhile, the State Government is furious over the media report that workers of some MLA and Ministers have been deceiving people and collecting Rs 80 to Rs 100 from each household in the name of preparing cards for the National Food Security scheme.

According to an official source in CAF&PD Department, certain variance has cropped in the sections of the ordinance brought out by the UPA Government for implementation of the National Food Security scheme as compared to the sections incorporated when it was enacted as Act.

On account of this variance, there has been some changes in the quantities of food grains which would be allotted to States and Union Territories.

The quantities of food grains entitled to Manipur under the National Food Security Ordinance have been greatly reduced after the ordinance became an Act.

Like Manipur, quantities of food grains entitled to other States under the same scheme have also been reduced, informed the source.

The quantity of food grains entitled to Manipur under the National Food Security Ordinance was 14246 metric ton- nes but it has been reduced by 1952 metric tonnes to 12294 metric tonnes after the ordinance became an Act.

The matter would be deliberated at a meeting of Food Secretaries of different States scheduled tomorrow at Delhi.

This would be followed by another meeting of the Food Ministers of different States on October 1 on the same agenda.

Concrete measures for implementation of the scheme would be initiated only after the two meetings.

Meanwhile, furious over the report that workers of MLAs and Ministers have been collecting Rs 80 to Rs 100 from each prospective be-neficiary in the name of pre- paring cards for the scheme, the State Government has directed all district administrations to stop issuance of application forms for preparing cards with immediate effect, informed the source.

On the otherhand, Additional Secretary (CAF&PD) on September 27 issued orders to district administrations for suspending issuance of form for preparing the cards.

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