Union Minister Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya visits Nagaland, highlighting food security, Grain ATMs, and development.
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DIMAPUR — Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya arrived in Dimapur on Friday for a three-day visit to Nagaland.
On the same day, she inspected facilities in Padum Pukhuri and Aoyimti village and announced scheduled visits to Dimapur and Kohima districts.
During her visit, she inspected the Fair Price Shop at Padum Pukhuri village and highlighted the Centre’s commitment to food security under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She stated that free rations are being provided to over 80.53 crore beneficiaries across the country under what she described as the world’s largest food distribution programme.
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The minister said that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the prime minister ensured that poor families did not go to bed hungry by providing free rations to more than 80 crore people, adding that the programme covers more beneficiaries than the entire population of Europe.
Bambhaniya also lauded Nagaland for its natural beauty, rich art and culture, and the hospitality of its people. She remarked that the state’s clean environment, pure air, and water contribute positively to the health and well-being of its residents.
Sharing an initiative from her constituency in Gujarat, she spoke about the installation of a “Grain ATM” on the occasion of the prime minister’s birthday. The facility allows beneficiaries to access food grains round the clock. She informed that similar Grain ATMs have been installed elsewhere, including in the constituency of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Expressing hope to introduce a similar system in Nagaland, she said that through the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ scheme, migrant workers can access their entitled food grains anywhere in the country and withdraw rations 24/7 from such Grain ATMs.
She further stated that under Modi’s leadership, the government is working for the development of all sections of society, including youth, women, farmers, and the poor, with special focus on empowering women through self-help groups.
She added that special focus has been placed on the development of the Northeastern states to make the region self-reliant and developed.
At the brief programme, K Tokugha Sukhalu, Advisor for Food and Civil Supplies, Legal Metrology and Consumer Protection, thanked the minister for visiting the Fair Price Shop at Padum Pukhuri, which he described as one of the best-performing outlets as per departmental reports.
Sukhalu also highlighted the challenges faced by the state, stating that while Nagaland is geographically small, the number of consumers has increased significantly even as local cultivation has declined. He requested the union minister to consider the specific needs of the state.
During the day, the minister visited the Health and Wellness Centre and Anganwadi Centre at Aoyimti village, inspected the Jal Jeevan Mission project site, and interacted with self-help groups at Padum Pukhuri.
On February 21, she is scheduled to visit Government Primary School in Kuda village, hold a meeting with heads of departments at the DC office in Dimapur, and visit Khonoma village in Kohima district.