Imphal, May 18 2010: Authority of the state government has started distribution of rice under PDS items airlifted yesterday to the BPL and AAY card holders from today in some places in Imphal.

With for more quantity of rice is expected airlifting tomorrow, authority is likely to extend the area of distribution in other places in the outskirt of Imphal.

According to statement released by the state home department today, two consignment of life saving drugs/medicines reached Imphal by air cargo of logistic post today.

The first consignment consisted of 257 packets weighting 3.095 MT and the second consignment consisted of 290 packets weighing 6.89 MT.

another four MT of life saving drugs airlifted by Airforce aircraft (AN-32) today, it added.

The volume of the movement of vehicles along the Imphal-Churachandpur via Mizoram also increasing as eight heavy vehicles, 10 medium vehicles and 22 light vehicles with 675 bags of cement, 260 barrels of diesel and 71 barrels of petrol reach Churachandpur and 62 vehicles left the district today.

Yesterday only four heavy vehicles, three medium vehicles and 21 light vehicles reached Churachandpur transporting 520 cement bags, 27 barrels of diesel and 18 barrel of petrol.

The state government is monitoring the situation and would continue efforts to ensure availability of drugs/medicines and other essential commodities in public interest, the statement of the home department added.

On the other hand, authorities of DC, Imphal west distributed PDS items to the BPL and AAY card holders in two places, at Khwairamband Samumakhong and Singjamei Bazar today.

Five kg of rice was given to each card holder at the rate of Rs 16 per kg.

Meanwhile, a statement of the Manipur Chemists & Druggist Association today said that with the start of arriving life saving drugs, stocks of the items have started replenishing and there will be no fear of shortage of life saving drugs in the state.