IMPHAL: The Centre assured the Manipur government of complete support in ensuring sufficient stock of food-grains, and that the NFSA beneficiaries are able to receive regular supplies of the entitled quantities in the state.
Speaking to the media, on Sunday (July 16) in Imphal, the director of the department of consumer affairs, food and public distribution – Robertson Asem said that Manipur currently has a stock of 35,800 metric tonnes of rice in the godowns of FCI and other state agencies.
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The estimated stock position will be sufficient to meet the requirement in the coming months, the director said.
“There is rice for about two months in store. The Manipur government issued 11,358 MT of rice as a monthly quota to its consumers,” Robertson Asem said.
When asked about the demands of the Zeliangrong Nagas Union urging the Manipur government to ensure timely distribution of food grains, and to release the pending shares of two to three months for Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Noney and Tamenglong districts in the state, the director said, “The demands would be fulfilled as soon as possible.”
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Also read: Manipur: Zeliangrong Nagas to remain neutral in Kuki-Meitei clashes
The rice quota for the months of June and July will be allocated soon, he added.
The Centre has allocated an additional quantity of 30,000 metric tonne of rice in view of the current law and order situation in Manipur for a period of three months – June 2023 to August 2023 – to non-NFSA beneficiaries.
The department is exploring additional routes to ensure a smooth and seamless supply of food grain through various routes from Dimapur and Silchar to Manipur.
It may be mentioned here that Manipur has been on the boil since May 3, after clashes broke out between two communities in the state followed by large-scale violence.
Nearly 150 people have died and thousands of people were displaced due to the violence in the Northeast state of Manipur that wreaked mayhem for over two months.