Kohima, September 13 (MExN): One day seminar on corruption and National Food Security Act (NFSA) was organised by the men’s department of Tsiemephuma Baptist Church and Peraciezie Baptist Church on September 10. Kezhokhoto Savi, President, Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) & Convenor (legal cell), ACAUT Nagaland was the resource person.
The Press & Media Cell, NVCO in a press release said that Savi pointed out several corrupt practices in Nagaland such as abuse of power, involvement of the government employees and church workers during election, extortion, fund-raise, illegal collection of cash at check-gates and on highways, bribery, dishonesty, embezzlement, fraud, etc.
“To solve the menace of corruption in our society is indispensable,” Savi stated. He said that Lokayukta is the need of the hour in Nagaland and “no doubt this is people’s demand except the 60 legislators of the State Assembly were not pushing just the fact that it would first check them and punish them for those who are indulging in corruption.”
In case the present 60 sitting legislators are not willing to establish ‘Lokayukta’ in Nagaland, he asserted, “they may not be fit to represent the people in this democratic system of government where peoples’ voice is the most powerful.” In the afternoon session on National Food Security Act, the resource person requested the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Nagaland to give more guidelines and information to the general public regarding the Act. The household identification, he stated, should be done better and fairly as per the Act so as to avoid bogus beneficiaries.
“When the central government has introduced such scheme to fight against hunger to make sure that it reaches the beneficiaries in a just and honest manner we cannot allow few to make business out of it,” he asserted.
Savi also maintained that the State government has to establish the required mechanism such as ‘Food Commission’ and the Department of Food & Civil Supplies should appoint the redressal officer for each district for expeditious and effective redressal of grievances in matters relating to district wise distribution of food grains under the Act.
He also expressed hope that the State government will not fail to fully implement the National Food Security Act 2013 as it will hugely uplift the general mass, especially the weaker sections in the State.
