DIMAPUR, JUNE 3 (MExN): Over two months since reports appeared of worm infested rice distributed to schools in Mokokchung under the Mid Day Meal (MDM) Scheme, and non implementation of the scheme in several schools, the Food Corporation of India (F
CI), Nagaland region today issued a clarification on the “confusion” over the roles of the FCI and the State Government. The FCI stated that it is “unlikely” that the grains lifted from FCI godown on December 2015 would have rotted within two months unless stored in unhygienic and unscientific manner.
It informed that the centre had allocated rice/wheat @100 grams per primary student (class 1 to V) and 150 grams (class VI to VII) student per day in the age group of six to fourteen. According to the FCI, the rice allocated for the first two quarters of 2015-16 was 3861.09 MT at BPL rate. The rice allocations for the first two quarters of 2016-17 (April-Sept 2016) is 2507.07 MT.
These allocations are to be lifted from the FCI godown by the respective district administrations as per the district wise allocation made by the state government on monthly, bimonthly or quarterly basis.
The FCI informed that samples (in triplicate) of stocks from where to be lifted are jointly drawn by representatives of the state government and the FCI, and the sample slips jointly signed and sealed.
These samples are to be retained for three months in token of quality of food grains received from FCI. In case of any complaint of low quality within this period, these samples are used to ascertain the veracity of the complaint.
The FCI informed that the Nagaland Government had authorized one M/S Vitoi Sumi, Circular Road, Notun Basti, Dimapur to lift the entire allocations of MDM food grains for the state of Nagaland for the period 2015-16.
The allocation for the last three quarters was lifted by the authorized agency during September 2015 (July-Sept 2015), December 2015 (Oct-Dec 2015), and March 2016 (Jan-March 2016) after joint sampling and satisfaction of the food grain quality.
It assured that the food grains in the FCI godown are maintained by quality control staff in conformity with standards set by the FSSAI. The joint samples of food grains lifted during these periods were preserved by the quality control staff.
“The joint samples were produced and on visual inspection found to be of good quality during the joint meeting of the state government, school education department, FCI and the state government MDM carriage contractor held on March 14, 2016 in the Directorate of School Education, Kohima,” the FCI said.
It added that the authorized MDM lifting agent or carriage contractor of the state government informed in the meeting that “they had taken responsibility and replace the stock under complaint.”
The FCI maintained that after lifting the grains from its godown, it is the responsibility of the state government for distribution to the schools. It further informed that the FCI makes available sufficient food grains in Dimapur, Mokokchung, Tuensang and Mon for Public Distribution System and other welfare systems including MDMs in Nagaland.
It further stated that the Department of School Education through its secretary, “assuming that the worm infested food grain was directly coming from the FCI godown, informed the press on March 12 that FCI had agreed in principle to replace the rice.” However, it clarified that no FCI official had given such assurance.
