IMPHAL, January 4: The maiden meeting of the district level committee of Thoubal formed to overlook the implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013 was held today.
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and member of the committee, Moirangthem Okendro forewarned while speaking at the meeting that many difficulties will be encountered in the attempts to provide nutritional food at low cost through the implementation of the Act. He further made an appeal against selling or procuring the forms meant for selection of the beneficiaries in exchange for money.
The Heirok MLA presided over the meeting which took place at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner Office. Most MLAs from the Assembly constituencies in the district – minister Md Nashir, O Landhoni, Y Surchandra, Md Fazur Rahim, Paona Brozen, as well as Zilla Parishad adhyaksha, chairman of municipal council, pradhan and members of local bodies participated.
Around 24 lakh persons out of the total population of 27 lakhs of Manipur, making up about 87 per cent of the total population, will get benefit from the largest social welfare scheme in the world, Okendro said. The number of households that will be covered by this Act is 4,69,930, he said adding that since majority of the state’s population belonged to economically weak categories, the numbers of beneficiary will be maximum.
Okendro said the immediate goal ahead of the administration is the identification of the priority households. The beneficiaries will be provided food grains and pulses through fair price shops, he stated and informed that processes are underway for construction of additional storehouses and fair price shops. He made an appeal against adoption of unfair practices in the processes for identification of beneficiaries.
Commissioner of CAF and PD, Y Thamkishore said the preparations for implementation of NFSA in the state are on the verge of completion. He added that adequate time will be provided for scrutinization of wrong entries in the selected beneficiaries and the final data will be put up in public domain through the official website.
The DC of Thoubal, T Ranjit Singh said 65,067 households in the district are getting benefits under the TPDS and there will be an additional 7,663 households eligible to take advantages of the government food policies for underprivileged people under the Act.
