Assam Government to File Multiple Cases against Gaon Panchayat Samabay Samities GPSSs for Not Lifting Rice

Food Security Lapses

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 9: The Assam Government on Thursday decided to go for litigation against several Gaon Panchayat Samabay Samities (GPSSs) in different districts for not lifting a huge quantum of rice meant for distribution among the poor and needy in the State under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) during the last financial year even as the government will request the Centre to reallocate the entire quantum of rice in the current fiscal.

During the financial year 2017-18, Assam had failed to lift 25,514 MT of rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) under the NFSA. The GPSSs are directly responsible for lifting of rice and distributing the same among the NFSA beneficiaries in 18 districts of the State. The GPSSs lift and distribute rice as per their agreements with respective deputy commissioners. Following the lapses in lifting of rice the DCs of some out of 18 districts have already filed cases against many erring GPSSs.

A meeting of the Food & Civil Supplies department held in Guwahati on Thursday took strong note of the lapses and failures by the several GPSSs in the timely lifting of rice under NFSA and asked DCs of all 18 districts to go for litigation against the GPSSs. The meeting also decided to request the Centre to reallocate the entire 25,514 MT of rice during the current financial year. In 15 districts the private parties are engaged by the government in lifting of rice under the NFSA.