Implement Food Security Act: Paswan urges Nagaland Govt

Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 15  

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan has asked the Nagaland State government to expedite process to implement the National Food Security Act in the state. Paswan, on his first visit to Nagaland since taking over charge of the Ministry, stated that the implementation will pave the way for enhancement of food grains allocation to Nagaland.  

Addressing a press conference in Dimapur today on the sidelines of a ‘Review meeting’ with FCI officials of Nagaland, Paswan said Nagaland is the only state which is yet to implement the Act. Once the Act is implemented, allocation to the state will increase to 1, 38,000 metric tonnes from the present 1, 27,668 metric tonnes. In addition, the Centre will bear 75 percent of transportation costs.  

“I have already spoken to the Chief Minister and have requested to implement the Food Security Act (and fulfil the criteria). The CM assured that very soon Nagaland will implement the Act,” Paswan said, while adding that he will meet state government officials before he departs.  

The implementation will benefit at least 1, 84,000 beneficiaries in the state. For BPL cardholders, wheat can be availed at Rs 4.15/kg and rice at Rs 5.56/kg. For APL cardholders, wheat will be Rs 6/kg and rice Rs 8.30/kg. In the APL category, it will be Rs 2/kg for wheat and Rs 3/kg for rice.  

However, for the Act to be executed the distribution system has to be revamped and loopholes plugged, the Union Minister said. Taking digitisation as key to that direction, Paswan said certain criteria would have to be fulfilled, while adding that online allocation, supply chain automation/management and SMS system of relaying information to beneficiaries has not been implemented.  

According to him, the Centre has already released Rs 5.53 crore out of an allocation of Rs 10 crore for the implementation of the Act while the state was yet to match its 10 percent share.  

Also emphasising on the need for setting up of Grievance Redress Cell for beneficiaries complete with a helpline number (1967), Paswan informed that he has asked the General Manager, FCI, Nagaland to immediately look into the matter.  

He also urged the Nagaland State government to avail the Hill Transport Subsidy Scheme entitled to states with hilly terrain to lessen transportation costs. “Nagaland has not been utilising it for some time. They’ve not been claiming their share of money in that,” an FCI official added.

Nagaland to have a second FCI district

The Union Minister also announced the opening of an additional FCI district with Kohima as the centre. Until now, the state is covered by only one FCI district which is headquartered in Dimapur. The additional FCI district has been necessitated because it was getting logistically cumbersome to cover a state with poor road connectivity through a single centre, Paswan said. The Kohima FCI district is expected completion by September 2016.

On fund misappropriation by F&CS

The Union Minister was also asked at the press conference whether his Ministry is aware of the fund misappropriation in the Nagaland Food & Civil Supplies (F&CS) department as reported in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report for the year ending March 31, 2015.  

To this, Paswan replied that it is the prerogative of the State Government in concern to check financial anomalies, if any. Citing the ‘Federal structure’ of the Indian Union, he added that the Centre cannot interfere in certain areas of governance in the states. Further maintaining that Union Ministry is not aware of the anomalies, Paswan said that he will look into the CAG report.  

The latest CAG report states that the F&CS department has two cases of financial misappropriation amounting to over Rs 400 crore with no action taken by the State Government.