GUWAHATI: The nexus between government officials and transport contractors has deprived the poor in at least two tribal hill districts of Manipur of rice under a Prime Minister’s scheme for months, a people’s rights group has told Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh.
The Movement for People’s Rights Forum, Manipur (MPRFM) on May 17 sought the Chief Minister’s intervention against the “unlawful conduct” of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution officials and a few contractors for paralysing the monthly rice distribution system under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to hundreds of beneficiaries across the hills of the ethnic violence-scarred State.
The districts worst affected are Noney and Tamenglong, the forum said.
The PMGKAY entails free good grains to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries across the country for five years from January 2024. The scheme is estimated to peg the Central government back by ₹11.80 lakh crore.
The scheme was launched in April 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide 5 kg of free food grain per person per month to all beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act.
Similar schemes and policies were introduced in Manipur by the Biren Singh government to bridge the gap between the hills and the more resourceful Imphal Valley, the hub of power in the State.
“However, a few Manipur government officials have been conniving with some transport contractors to sell large quantities of PMGKAY rice in the black market, particularly in the districts of Noney and Tamenglong, thereby depriving the basic rights of the beneficiaries. Even among those who are aware of PMGKAY, there are reports of inequitable distribution and favouritism in the allocation of benefits,” MPRFM president Gonmei Kuripou said.
The PMGKAY rice was not distributed among the beneficiaries in the hill districts in July and November 2023, and from February to May 2024, the forum said.
“The absence of PMGKAY benefits disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as low-income families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. Many families are struggling with basic sustenance because of the economic challenges exacerbated by the recent Meitei-Kuki violence,” the forum said.
The forum urged the Chief Minister to rein the corrupt government officials in and take action against the transport contractors before the situation turns for the worse.
