Jakhama, December 5 (MExN): The Men’s Department of Jakhama Baptist Church conducted awareness programme on National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 at Jakhama Baptist Church for all churches in the village on December 4. President of Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO), Kezhokhoto Savi, who was the speaker, expressed hope that the State government will not fail to fully implement the Act, stating if and when implemented properly, it will hugely uplift the general mass in Nagaland.
To ensure proper transparency and accountability in the implementation, the NFSA makes provision for setting up a social audit by the states, Savi said. “For this, the government and the local bodies have to update the name of the beneficiaries and put up the list on the notice board for public inspection; to conduct social audit involving the common people and also to set up vigilance committee to check corruption in the implementation of the scheme.”
A press release from Press & Media Cell, NVCO further informed that Savi said every beneficiary under NFSA will get wheat at Rs.2 per kg and rice at Rs.3 per kg. For transportation, the Central government will give 75% of the cost and 25% has to be paid by the State government.
In Nagaland, the Act was launched for Dimapur and Kohima on June 27, 2016. Both Above Poverty Line (APL) and Below Poverty Line (PBL) beneficiaries have been amalgamated under the Priority Household (PHH) as per the Act and the beneficiaries will be provided 5 kg of food grains per head at Rs.3 per kg for rice and Rs.2 per kg for wheat in the ratio of 4:1, it was informed. The households covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana will be entitled to 35 kg of food grains per month.
Savi further stated pregnant and lactating women will be entitled to free meals during pregnancy and six months after child birth; they will also receive maternity benefit of at least Rs.6000/-. In case of non supply of entitled food grains or meals, the beneficiaries will receive food security allowances, he added.
Meanwhile, the NVCO president pointed out there are cases of misuse in distribution and charges. Rice, he said, is being sold at Rs.4/- to Rs.15/- which is excessive and contrary to the Act. As far as conducting awareness and imparting training to the citizens especially to village council and town colony panchayat/council is concerned, the State government especially the concerned department is “very much failing,” he stated. The Food Commission, Savi added, is yet to establish the state and district level grievances redressal system for expeditious and effective redressal of grievances of the aggrieved persons regarding distribution of entitlement.
