FCS Minister's crackdown,
Absent record of 3418 quintal of rice greets Erabot at CCpur
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 10: As part of the measures being taken up to ensure availability of rice, kerosene oil and other essential commodities to the people specially those living in the hills and remote villages at the rate fixed by the Government, FCS Minister Y Erabot today went to inspect the functioning of the Public Distribution System in Churachandpur district. The Minister has also taken serious note of absence of any record on the receipt of 3418.76 quintal of rice at the FCS godown, Churachandpur.

Y Erabot at CCPur FCS godown

Nine days after being inducted as the FCS Minister, Erabot went to Churachandpur district for the first time today without any the officials of the FCS Department.

During the course of checking the stock register of the FCS godown there, the Minister found out that no record had been maintained in connection with 3418.76 quintal of rice supplied to the district.

Out of the total quantity of 3418.76 quintal of rice for which no record were maintained, 1578.76 quintal is AAY rice while the remaining 1840 quintal is BPL rice.

The price fixed by the Government for these rice meant for the beneficiaries only is Rs 3.37 per kg for AAY rice and Rs 6.11 per kg for BPL rice.

The Minister had earlier assured free sale of the APL rice at the rate of Rs 8.85 per kg at all the district headquarters and sub-divisional headquarters.

On reaching Churachandpur, the FCS Minister who was accompanied by Patsoi A/C MLA Sapam Kunjakishore (Keba), went to the office of Deputy Commissioner and held a joint meeting with DC Sumant, IAS and DSO to discuss the functioning of the PDS in the district and examined the related documents to find out whether the rice lifted from FCS and FCI godowns at Sangaiprou have been received or not.

After the meeting, the Minister personally went to inspect the stock rice stock at the FCS godown along with the DC and the DSO and found out that no register had been maintained on the receipt of 4418.76 quintal of AAY and BPL rice which were lifted from the Sangaiprou godowns since the month of June.

The Minister was surprised when the officials of the FCS godown at Churachandpur could not produce any record on the receipt of the rice quota even if though there is official record of lifting the same from the FCI godown at Sangaiprou on June 30 last.

Peeved with such irregularities, the Minister issued strong instructions to the officials to provide the copies of the relevant documents and the details of the vehicles used for lifting the rice at the earliest possible.

During the visit, the Minister also inspected the condition of the three former FCS godowns, each of 250 metric tonne capacity, which are presently being used by DRDA.

After the inspection, the Minister assured that the much needed repairing work on the buildings of the godowns would be taken up very soon.

The Minister also gave the assurance of looking into the difficulties being faced after the FCS godown at Parbung has been occupied by the army.

Taking advantage of the visit of the Minister, Churachandpur Students' Union submitted a memorandum highlighting grievances of the people with regard to alleged denial PDS items like rice and kerosene oil.

The FCS Minister maintained that there is no shortage of rice in Manipur.

However, some difficulties had been faced in making the same available to the people after the underground activists imposed restriction on lifting of the rice from the Sangaiprou godown.

Nonetheless, the Minister asserted that after he took over the charge of the FCS Department, rice is being lifted from the godowns and making them available to the people.