Ukl - Kamjong FPS agents

 

Ukhrul, Kamjong FPS agents face double whammy, threaten stir

By U-News Mag
March 11, 2023:. THE non-release of food grain for February has come as a double whammy for the Fair Price Shop (FPS) agents’ associations operating in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.

With their long-pending grievances still awaiting redressal, the FPS agents have threatened to launch intense agitation if the state government does not take immediate steps to procure and release the food grain for February.

For the past one year, the FPS agents’ associations have been demanding redressal of their long-pending grievances pertaining to non-payment of transportation cost and margin money under NFSA and PMGKY. However, the state authorities have not paid any heed to their demands. The non-release of food grain for February has only added to their woes.

On March 9, the agents’ associations of 44-Ukhrul AC, 45-Chingai AC and 43-Phungyar AC convened a press conference in Ukhrul town to decry the lackadaisical attitude of the state authorities and highlight their course of action.

Briefing media persons during the press meet, Ukhrul FPS agents’ association president Luingam Lunghar stated that the agents’ associations of the three assembly constituencies of Ukhrul and Kamjong districts have resolved to launch stringent form of agitation if the food grain for February is not released at the earliest.He said that the agents learnt about the nonrelease of food grain for the particular month when they met the Ukhrul District Supply Officer (DSO) after the commodity failed to reach the FCI go-down in Ukhrul.

“DSO informed us that the allocation for February has been lapsed because 50 percent of allocation for the entire state has been deducted due to inadequate use of e-POS devices and that this was announced by chief minister N Biren Singh in the state assembly recently,” he said, quoting the DSO.

Lunghar contended that the hill areas being poor in internet facility, e-POS application has never been feasible in various locations. However, the agents have been carrying out 90 per cent of transaction using manual/offline registration across the three assembly constituencies.

“So, it is our earnest appeal to our chief minister to look into the matter and prevail upon the authorities concerned to release of the food grain at the earliest. Failing this, we would be compelled to launch a stringent agitation,” he warned.

Regarding their long-pending grievances over non-release of transportation expenses and margin money, Lunghar further appealed to CM Biren Singh to intervene in the matter.

He said that the agents’ associations have repeatedly apprised the CAF &PD minister and other relevant authorities including district administration. However, nothing positive is forthcoming from their end.

The concerned minister has been sitting on the issue of failure of the transport in-charge to disburse the transportation costs and to make himself available at the FCI depot during lifting of food grain.

“This has continued since April of 2022 and is a gross violation of the norms, according to which, the transport contractor/in-charge concerned must be present when the rice is lifted from the FCI go-down and distribute the transportation expenses to the agents,” he mentioned.

According to Lunghar, information has been received from DSO regarding the sanction of a backlog of margin money under NFSA from April of 2022 till January 2023. However, margin money under the erstwhile PMGKY for the same period has not been sanctioned till date.

“Now, PMGKY is wrapped up but the agents had already incurred a huge amount during its implementation,” he pointed out.

It is learnt that there are 101 rationing agents under 44-Ukhrul FPS Agents’ Association and 73 under 45-Chingai FPS Agents’ Association and 54 under 43-Phungyar FPS Agents’ Association.