The Manipur Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution's (CAFPD) priority is to prevent breaking of the food supply chain, CAFPD Minister Th Satyabrata Singh said. He also said that increase in transportation and labour charge is one of the main factors resulting in rising prices of essential commodities in Manipur during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The minister was replying to a calling attention motion raised by MLA K Meghachandra during the state Assembly session on Tuesday regarding reported difficulties faced by the common people amid Covid pandemic due to hike in prices of essential items and other consumable commodities.
While calling the attention of the minister, Meghachandra reiterated that the prices of most of the essential consumable items such as dal, atta, ghee, edible oil, milk, eggs, onion and other vegetables have doubled. He asked to table the steps and policy taken up by the government to control the price hike.
In regards to it, the minister replied that only 19 items are listed under essential commodities by the CAFPD department and it has the authority to control the price of only the 19 items.
For those 19 items, the department has been taking up strict monitoring measures so that the outlets do not take charge more than the price fixed by the government.
He continued that the department had even constituted state commission and district commissions to monitor the price and take complaints from the public for any unauthorised price hike.
However for items like eggs, fishs and vegetables, the department does not have the authority to fix the rate. The rate of those items are fixed by the farmers according to their will, he added.
For petroleum products, Satyabrata said that maintaining the stock is the job of the department, however fixing the price does not lie in the hands of the department.
On the issue of linkage of Aadhaar card with the NFSA card, he said that the department is working together with the concerned deputy commissioners to solve the issue.
The minister informed that the state has a total of around 18,60,159 NFSA beneficiaries and the department with its small strength is making maximum effort to distribute the NFSA and PMGKAY rice to all the eligible beneficiaries.
Lauding the MLA for calling the attention of such important topic, he said that the department's first priority is to prevent from breaking the food supply chain.
The minister lastly sought suggestions from the general public as well as the officials and legislatures for any new mechanisms that can improve the working of the department.
