SHILLONG:
Reiterating that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between state’s Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department and the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) will strengthen the food security system in Meghalaya, minister James Sangma said that when rolled out, the programme will be a “game-changer for the people of the state”.
Speaking to The Meghalayan on January 22, Sangma said, “The coming together of the WFP and the department will be a win-win situation for both – the WFP and the government of Meghalaya, and especially, the people. With the WFP’s in-depth knowledge in the concerned field, the partnership will be a game-changer for us.”
He added that the draft MoU has been finalised and the programme is on the anvil and will be rolled out very soon.
Earlier, the department had signed an MoU with United Nation’s WFP on November 20, 2021. As per the tie-up, both the department and WFP were meant to undertake supply chain optimisation of the entire targeted public distribution system in the state and introduce innovative technologies.
However, certain section of the population in the state is still without ration cards and in such a situation, it will be interesting to see how this MoU will be implemented.
“Today, the section of people who don’t have ration cards are those who have had an opportunity to go for claims and I hope that they filed their petition before the Deputy Commissioner. The list gets revised after every 10 years as per the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) and that opportunity will come again as and when the SECC is carried out and the new list is prepared. If any beneficiaries are inadvertently left out, we will again offer them an opportunity to file for claims and objectives,” he informed.
Notably, Section 3 of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 mandates that every person belonging to priority households shall be entitled to receive 5kg of food grains per person every month at subsidised prices specified in Schedule I of the Targeted Public Distribution System.
Sangma also informed that the electronic point of sale machines in the fair price shops, which were rolled out last year, too has been successfully carried out.
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