Day: January 17, 2014

IMPHAL, January 17: State governments have been urged to open more purchasing centers and assess all necessary infrastructure requirements for increased procurement of foodgrains for implementation of Food Security Act, said a PIB press release.

It should include storage space, credit and staff requirement. A meeting of Food Secretaries of various States has been convened in the second week of February by the Government of India to review the arrangements for procurement of wheat for coming marketing season and other infrastructure requirements, it continued.

Further according to the release, in order to implement the National Food Security Act, requirement of foodgrains is estimated to be 614.3 lakh tons against the average procurement of 514 Lakh tons in last five years.

Under the National Food Security Act, the Government of India will now provide assistance to States in meeting the expenditure incurred by them on transportation of foodgrains within the State, its handling and FPS dealers’ margin as per norms to be devised for this purpose, it said. In the meeting, estimated marketable surplus ratio of wheat for each State and estimated procurement of wheat for Rabi Marketing Season will also be discussed.

Under the Act, Grievance Redressal Mechanism at the District and State levels have to be set up and provisions have to be made for disclosure of records relating to PDS. The Act also provides for social audits and setting up of Vigilance Committees in order to ensure transparency and accountability. Provision for penalty on public servant or authority, to be imposed by the State Food Commission, in case of failure to comply with the relief recommended by the District Grievance Redressal Officer, has also been made in the Act, it said. One of the most significant features is the provision for Food Security Allowance to entitled beneficiary in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals. No doubt, the Act will provide food security to two-third population of the country and with its focus on nutritional support to children and pregnant women it will address the problem of malnutrition also effectively, further said the release.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/states-asked-to-open-more-purchasing-centers-for-implementation-of-nfsa/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=states-asked-to-open-more-purchasing-centers-for-implementation-of-nfsa

CCPUR, January 17: The first ever Paite Cultural Festival 2014 was held at the Mission Compound under the aegis of the Paite Cultural Festival Committee (PCFC) today.

The secretary of PCFC, Siam Ton Sing said that the program was held to rejuvenate the cultural aspect of the Paites who is the major constituent group in Churachandpur.

During today’s program, several cultural practices including Phitlam, Suktuah lam, etc of the Paites’ were shown.

The PCFC leader also said that the program was to help preserve the cultural history of the Paites’ for posterity.

He continued that the activities of the PCFC will continue in the years to come.

Minister Phungzathang Tonsing who was supposed to attend the function as the chief guest due to his busy scheduled couldn’t attend and instead sent his son Khanthang to attend the function.

Parliament secy Vungzagin Valte who was not an invitee came on his own accord and spoke on the occasion.

He said, “I found that it is my duty to grace this occasion at the old Churachand village which is the major center.”

Valte said, “If we forget our own culture and fail to preserve it, we are like a flower which cannot produce juice and those who don’t preserve their culture are like a dried out flower.”

In reaction to the use of the social networking sites as a platform for criticism, Valte said that the politicians, as servants of the people, are too busy to look at the criticism; and further requested the people to come directly to them so that a solution could be reached to their problem.

He praised the many cultural troupes that perform during the occasion and said that he will do his best to promote the culture of the tribe. Langkhanpau Guite chairman ADCC was another leader who came on his own accord and offered solitary with the organizing committee in particular and the Paite community in general.

Delegates from all the other 17 branches of PTC and other Paite organisations including from Mizoram, attended the cultural festival.

Thangkhanlal Samte, who is the general secretary of PTC/SSPP Sialkalh Tang area in Mizoram told IFP that he was quiet impressed by the program and will go a long way in promoting the Paite culture and tradition in the years to come.

He added that the right course of action had commenced today and the people need to keep it up.

On the occasion SSPP Rayburn Collage unit performed the original Suktuak lam, commonly known as bamboo dance in the original customary way of using long pestle instead of bamboos.

Amzarthang acted at the festival father, with general president PTC/GHQ Tualkhanhau and ex-president PTC/GHQ T Singneng hosting the festival.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/paite-cultural-fest-livens-up-ccpur/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=paite-cultural-fest-livens-up-ccpur

CHANDEL, January 17: MLA of 41 A/C Chandel, St Nunghlung Victor today went on to inspect the progress of the application form submission for identification of beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act underway at SDO Office Chandel.

The MLA interacted with the village chiefs, who have come to submit the form and met with SDO Siva Killu Kumar Naidu.

The MLA also went to the DC Complex and look over the interview conducted by the DIC Chandel for identification of beneficiaries under PMEGP. He met the officials and advised them to conduct the interview in a free and fair manner.

Briefing media on the PMEGP interview, MLA Victor Nunghlung strongly come out that no beneficiary irrespective of the fresh applicants or the backlog will be considered for selection unless the applicants face the interview.

The MLA said this with a special reference to the striking or agitating JAC who refrained from taking the interview.

Dwelling on the National Security Food Act launched in the district, the MLA appealed and advised to all citizens to avail this scheme now by submitting necessary documents.

He informed that necessary instruction has been given to the SDO to avoid people’s inconvenience. Therefore all, especially the village chiefs must ensure maximum applicants from their respective villages with correct documents and see that no eligible applicant is missed out.

A team of Naga Chiefs’ Association during the inspection had thanked the MLA for such arrangements and for monitoring the PMEGP interview by himself.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/chandel-mla-inspects-nfsa-applications-forms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chandel-mla-inspects-nfsa-applications-forms