Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang
today broke his silence on the alleged siphoning of rice meant for beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), especially Public Distribution System (PDS).
"A misconception seems to have been implanted in the minds of the general public that departmental supply of rice (PDS) should only be in jute bags," Zeliang said in a statement
The CM, however, said these jute bags, owing to improper handling while transportation, developed damages which lead to spillage and wastage of food grain, thereby, resulting in inaccurate or shortfall in weight when the bags reached the targeted group.

Zeliang said Nagaland has a total of 47,500 ration card holders under AAY covering a population of 2,09,657, and a total of 2,37,434 ration card holders under PHH covering a population of 11,93,928, a grand total of 14,03,579 population under NFSA.
In this, he said that the central government alloted food grain according to the number of ration card holders and not a kg more or less.

The CM said that repackaging of supply rice has been permitted for the first time on an experimental basis in the state while the department would be asked to make changes in arrangements, if necessary, based on the feedback received.

As such, he said, the Secretary of Food & Civil Supplies Department had earlier notified that the department had allowed stockists in Nagaland to experiment with repackaging from jute bags to other durable bags and from 100 kg bags to 50 kg bags for convenience of loading and unloading to destinations.
However, the CM said it was unfortunate that this department-approved repackaging had been projected as though it were meant for the open market, and which, if proven to be true, amounted to a criminal activity requiring stringent action.