Govt moves to procure additional food stock

SHILLONG: The state government has accorded sanction of Rs 26,38,75,500 for procurement of 1,17,278 quintals of rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) under its open market sale scheme.
Informing this here on Thursday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister James Sangma said the government is coordinating with the FCI to procure the food grain at the earliest.
Once the FCI releases the stock, the same will be made available to the deputy commissioners of all districts for sale in the open market.
“We will be able to address any shortage of rice in the market with this additional stock,” Sangma said.
The minister also informed that the state government has approached the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs for allocation of around 5553 quintals of pulses (specifically masoor dal) for free distribution amongst targeted PDS beneficiaries for the next three months.
Sangma also informed that all deputy commissioners have been authorised to procure essential food items like rice, mustard oil and others from Assam if there is any shortage of supply in their respective districts.
“The deputy commissioners have been instructed to issue curfew passes and permits for the vehicles so that retailers may be able to procure food grains from Assam or other place. This will help address any shortage to a large extent,” Sangma added.
Sangma also asserted that the public distribution system under NFSA has been streamlined and advance stock of food grains for the month of April has been made available to the fair price shops through government appointed wholesalers.
“There may be a few cases where the stocks have not reached the fair price shops. Those are being taken up on a priority basis by the respective BDOs and deputy commissioners. So we expect that there will be no problems at the fair price shop level very soon,” the minister added.