ITANAGAR, 8 Jan: Food & Civil Supplies Minister Kamlung Mosang said that porter system may be reintroduced for transportation of foodgrains under the NFSA in all the 13 air-fed administrative circles of the state to minimize the money spent on air freight charges.
Mosang made the proposal in view of the huge accumulated backlog of air freight charges to be paid to the Indian Air force (IAF) to the tune of Rs 337 crores.
“This will not only minimize the money spent on air freight charges but also create job opportunities amongst the rural masses in the international border areas,” the minister said during a coordination meeting at the civil secretariat here on Friday. He directed the officers concerned to work out the modalities and expedite the process for obtaining necessary approval from the state cabinet.
Mosang stressed on the importance of rationalization of transfer and posting of officers and officials, especially after the merging of the department of supply and transport with the food & civil supplies department.
“There is disparity in the deployment of manpower, especially in the newly-created interior districts and administrative circles,” he said and directed to constitute a committee of officers to work out the modalities for rationalization in distribution of manpower in the hard belts and soft belts in the state.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made to ensure supply of essential items during the Covid-19 lockdowns across the state, especially in the interior air-fed areas.
He congratulated the officers and officials involved in the Herculean task of keeping the PDS supply chain network alive in the frontier state amidst nationwide lockdowns.
Advisor to minister for food and civil supplies, Taniya Soki, FCS Additional Secretary Liyon Borang, LMCA Joint Secretary BJ Duia, FCS Director Dagbom Riba and LMCA Controller Hoktum Ori and other officers and officials of both the departments attended the meeting.
