State Social Welfare Minister, Kyrmen Shylla keeps his own counsel. Despite the alleged scam involving his Department where one lakh bags of rice each weighing 50 kgs supplied by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and meant for the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) of the Social Welfare Department of Meghalaya, were seized from a private godown in Boko, Assam, Shylla denies any wrongdoing. It would be a surprise if he didn’t. But because the media is doggedly pursuing this matter, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had to come to the rescue of Shylla. He categorically stated that the seized rice had nothing to do with the Public Distribution System (PDS) nor was it meant for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). He later stated that as per a verbal report the rice was meant for the Social Welfare Department.
The seized rice in this case was lifted from the FCI by a company called Continental Milkcose Ltd. The explanation later given by the Director, Social Welfare Department is that the manufacturer processes the rice and wheat into a variety of ready to eat fortified food products in the factory which is then supplied to the Anganwadi centres under the Supplementary Nutrition Programme. This still does not explain why the rice is repackaged to be supplied to the Assam Rifles. Director Social Welfare also claims that the processing Company has always complied with the Department’s requirements. Without any checks and balances how does anyone know how much of the processed food is coming to Meghalaya for the SNP. Through the SNP, under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) the Social Welfare Department is supposed to provide supplementary nutritious food to children from 0-6 years of age, pregnant women and adolescent girls to improve their nutritional status. Under this programme, hot-cooked food and home delivery rations are provided to the target beneficiaries through Anganwadi centres. Is this happening in Meghalaya? The National Family Health Survey has been hammering at the poor nutritional status of women and children in Meghalaya.
Interestingly, following this scam the Assam Government decided on June 16 that it would procure rice for the Social Welfare Department’s SNP directly from the FCI and not through contractors in order to put an end to the writ of contractors that runs in the department. Assam Government says the contractors have been charging Rs 32 per kg of rice whereas if the Department procures the rice directly from the FCI, the price is Rs 22 per kg. This surplus money would enable the Department to provide more nutritious food to the target beneficiaries. Funnily, Meghalaya has not taken any such decision as yet.
