People wait in line outside a Fair Price Shop in Dimapur. (Morung File Photo)
Kohima, May 20 (MExN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) on Wednesday appealed the State government agencies to be more fair and honest in the distribution of food grains to the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act 2013.
NVCO President Kezhokhoto Savi, Advocate stated that recently the department of Food and Public Distribution under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has decided to allocate 5 kg grains per person per month free of cost to nearly 79.88 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food and Security Act (AAY, PHH and DBT) over and above the NFSA allocation for a period of two months, i.e May and June.
Savi further stated that the above allocation would be in addition to the regular monthly allocation under the National Food and Security Act 2013(NFSA).
Despite of not having a Food Commission in the State, the NVCO sincerely appealed all the agencies dealing with the distribution of food grains to be fair in order to ensure food security to the citizens of the State, especially the poorer section during the pandemic.
The NVCO President also raised the concern of beneficiaries being charged excessive/exorbitant rates during the recent meeting of District Price Monitoring Committee held at the official chamber of Deputy Commissioner Kohima. He requested all Wards/Panchayats/Village Councils/Fair Price shops, etc to strictly follow the rate and quantity as per the Act.
Savi further stated that it was clearly provided under Schedule 1 of the Act that,“ Eligible households shall be entitled to food grains under section 3 at the subsidised price not exceeding rupees 3 per kg for rice, rupees 2 per kg for wheat and rupee 1 per kg for coarse grains.”
