Dimapur, April 4 (EMN): The Dimapur-based activist group Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has appealed to the Nagaland government to ‘strictly supervise’ the “Tide over rice quota district wise allocation,” which the group stated was ‘virtually non-existent.’
The group issued a press release on Thursday stating the appeal.
The organisation took exception that the “chief stockiest are few non-Nagas, who pay up certain percentage to various organisation and government establishment against the Tide over allocation...”
‘The NPRAAF discovered that distribution of Tide over rice allocation is virtually non-existent in the state despite the fact that huge quantity of Tide over rice is allocated to the state of Nagaland. It is an illegal act and punishable under Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988,’ the press release stated.
According to the group, the entitlement of food grain per household is supposed to be decided by deputy commissioners and subdivision officers along with the district assistant director of Supplies.
The NPRAAF stated: ‘It is to be done so after taking into consideration the quantity of ‘Tide over allocation under NFSA who are left out under National Food security Act 2013 to ensure that the public distribution system (PDS) is available to all.’
However, the group stated, the govt. “has already break-up” (sic), and approved the state stockist for Tide over food grains in various local and enterprises named for a period of two years with effect from April 1 2019 up to March 31 2021 ‘without properly identifying the targeted beneficiaries.’
The press release stated: “In reality the chief stockiest are few non-Nagas, who pay up certain percentage to various organisation and government establishment against the Tide over allocation and thereafter, the said food grains are re-packed and sold in the open market at an exorbitant price, which the government is supposed to be made available by little over Rupees 400 per 50 kg sack pack.”
The organisation also listed out what it stated was the monthly allocation of the rice to the districts.
Besides regular “Tide over allocation,” the group stated, the central government had in the past also allocated additional quota “twice against govt. of Nagaland request.”
The organisation has appealed to the Nagaland government to “fairly and squarely” distribute the “Tide over rice” beginning from April 2019.
The press release stated: “The public are also requested to remain vigilant and claim their due rights under Tide over scheme. NPRAAF will take up the matter with the government of India, if the state govt. continues to remain oblivious, for which NPRAAF will not take responsibility if the govt. of India puts embargo of Tide over scheme to the state.”
