Share
Dimapur, Oct. 19 (EMN): The All Nagaland Fair Price Shop Association has expressed dismay at the ‘lackadaisical attitude’ of the government to release the bill for the transportation and handling charges of fair price shop dealers ,which it claimed has been pending for about three years.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Association stated that it had appealed to the state government with a representation through director, Food and Civil Supplies, Dimapur to release the pending bill.
“However, to our utter surprise, the humble appeal was kept in the dark without paying due urgency.
“It is pertinent to mention also that the transportation and handling commission for the Fair Price Shop dealers has a backblock of nearly three years along with the distribution of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY),” it read.
It stated that it has not only been distributing the normal monthly food grain to National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 beneficiaries, but had also taken up extra efforts in issuing essential commodities of different schemes announced by the Govt. of India till date since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
“For all the sacrifices and commitment rendered thus far, we are utterly amazed to see the department and present state Govt’ apathy towards the Fair Price Shop dealers in addressing the genuine appeal and budge only when their doors are being knocked for execution and response,” read the statement.
It further said that the FPS dealers all over Nagaland were having serious financial constraints and therefore appealed to the Government to immediately address the matter with utmost priority.
The Association also warned of democratic forms of agitation in the event of the government’s failure to address the appeal made by FPS dealers’ from November 2021 onwards.
Further, the Association appealed to the beneficiaries and public to “recognise the rational approach of the FPS dealers’ and support the issue”.