ROING, 17 Nov: Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers and carriage contractors informed that the “non release of profit margin and contractors’ payment for several years has been causing problems in implementation of the Public Distribution System (PDS),” and urged the state government to release their payments at the earliest.
This was informed by the FPS dealers and carriage contractors of Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit districts during a meeting with the State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (SLVMC) Chairman Anok Wangsa and Member Nima Sange.
Wangsa and Sange are on an official monitoring tour to Dibang Valley, Lohit, Namsai and Changlang districts from 15 to 19 November.
Responding to the grievances of FPS dealers and carriage contractors, Wangsa assured to take up the matter with the state government for an early solution.
Wangsa also highlighted about the provision under the National Food Security Act, 2013 and the powers and functions of the SLVMC, which has been constituted under section 29 (1) of NFSA 2013, to ensure transparent and proper functioning of the Targeted PDS (TPDS) in the state.
He urged upon all the stakeholders, especially the District Food & Civil Supplies department to implement the TPDS in a transparent manner in order to reach the “actual poor and needy people of the state.”
SLVMC Member Nima Sange appreciated the Lower Dibang Valley district administration and District Food and civil Supplies department for declaring “Rice Day ” for effective distribution of TPDS to the beneficiaries of various categories, and termed it “an example for other districts to follow.”
Lohit Deputy Commissioner Marge Sora and Lower Dibang Valley Deputy Commissioner Kesang Ngurup Damo suggested that the District Food & Civil Supplies officials sincerely implement the PDS in coordination with stakeholders, including Panchayat leaders and DVMC members in order to ensure transparent distribution of TPDS with 100 percent achievement in the district.
They also acknowledged that non-release of payment to the carriage contractors and profit margin to the FPS dealers are the major hindrance in implementing PDS in the district.
Lohit DFCSO Tomo Gamlin and Lower Dibang Valley DFCSO Mudang Bagang presented the latest status of implementation of PDS in their districts and highlighted the various problems being faced by the District Civil Supplies department.
Wangsa and Sange also visited FPS shops within Tezu and Roing towns, along with officers of the District Food and Civil Supplies department to know the ground reality.
DLV&MC members, all fair price shop dealers, consumer activists, carriage contractors and other officials of the department attended the meeting.
