Food Security Act State to miss Oct target

Source:

Imphal, September 26 2013: The target set by the State Government to implement the Food Security Bill by October this year is unlikely to be realised and in most probability the same may be implemented only in the first part of January next year.

Speaking to a reliable source informed that though Chief Minister O Ibobi had earlier instructed all the Government Departments and officials concerned to complete the process of identifying the people who can become beneficiaries under the said scheme by September 30, the same could not be realised and hence the said scheme will most probably be implemented only in the first part of January next year.

Under the said scheme, rice is to be made available to the beneficiaries at highly subsidised rate.

During a meeting held on August 29, the Chief Minister had instructed officials of the Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to start the spadework of identifying the beneficiaries and complete the same by September 30 so that it can be implemented from October this year.

However as things have turned out, the process of identifying the beneficiaries is going to take more time than previously thought and hence the failure to meet the target, said the source and added that the responsibility of identifying the beneficiaries lies with the respective State Governments.

The State Government envisages to extend the benefits of the scheme to about 23.87 lakh people out of the more than 27 lakh population of the State.

However the process of identifying the beneficiaries is yet to take off full steam till now, said the source further.

When contacted CAF and PD Minister M Okendro today evening, the Minister said that as things stand now, it would not be possible to implement the scheme from October this year as there are still a lot of ground works to be covered.

“It can be implemented from the early part of January next year,” he admitted.

Explaining, the Minister said ” There is as such no data base to identify the beneficiaries for the scheme and there are other processes involved for its implementation such as issuing National Food Security Card, which will take time.

There is also the question of where the foodstock for the beneficiaries will be stocked” .

Okendra further informed that the Union Food Minister KV Thomas has convened a meeting at New Delhi on September 30 and all finer details to make the scheme a success will be deliberated upon seriously.

All the States are expected to present their peculiar cases and issues and it would be deliberated at length, he added.

As Chhatisgarh has set the bench mark in implementing the scheme a team led by him and consisting of Commissioner Y Thamkishore and Director Yaiskul recently visited the State and studied the modalities of its implementation, added Oken.

The visit has proven to be highly beneficial, said the Minister.

Despite the Opposition parties dubbing the Food Security Bill as an Election Bill, the Congress party has been taking the message of its benefits to all the districts and block levels.

The criteria laid down for becoming a beneficiary under the said scheme says that their annual income should be below Rs 1 per annum, should not own any four wheelers and should be non-tax payers.

via NorthEast Calling - NorthEast India | India's No1 online News Magazine http://necalling.com/food-security-act-state-to-miss-oct-target-2/