Center assures adequate food grains supply to crisis-hit Manipur

New Delhi: The Centre has assured strife-torn Manipur of complete support in ensuring that there are sufficient stocks of food grains in different parts of the state at all times and the National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries are able to receive regular supply of the entitled quantities, an official said on Wednesday.

Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra on Wednesday visited Imphal and reviewed the functioning of NFSA in the wake of the recent law and order breakdown in Manipur.

He met the state’s consumer affairs minister and the chief secretary.

Official sources said that the Centre has allocated an additional quantity of 30,000 MT of rice to the violence-hit state in view of the current law and order situation prevailing there, for a period of three months (June 2023 to August 2023) to non-NFSA beneficiaries.

Currently, the stock position at nine depots is 30,600 MT which is adequate against the total monthly allocation of 12,000 MT under NFSA and 6,500 MT under non-NFSA.

Besides, the department is exploring additional routes to ensure smooth and seamless supply of foodgrains through various routes, like from Dimapur, Silchar and Bairabi to Manipur and inducting a total of 25,500 MT of rice in the state by the end of this month.

The estimated stock position will be sufficient to meet the requirement in the coming month, sources said.

Regular inflow of stocks will be maintained to ensure that there is no scarcity of foodgrains in any part of the state, they added.

Manipur has witnessed devastating ethnic violence since May 3, killing over 120 people and injuring more than 350, besides destroying thousands of houses, large numbers of private and government vehicles and properties.