All Nagaland Fair Price Shop Association (ANFPSA) has appealed to chief minister Neiphiu Rio to immediately release transportation and handling charges to fair price shop owners of the State.
In a press note, ANFPSA president Hotoshe Sumi and general secretary M Gonmei, said after implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 and providing ration to priority households under Food & Civil Supply department in Nagaland, the fair price shop owners had stopped receiving their due share of transportation and handling charges despite giving their best in sincerely distributing essential commodities to ration card holders.
ANFPSA asserted that the fair price shop owners had done their job with full commitment and dedication by adhering to the department directives and bearing all transportation and handling costs after assurance from the State government that these would be reimbursed as and when the fund reached the department concerned.
The association, however, expressed its deep disappointment at the silence of the government on the matter and its failure to reimburse the costs incurred by the owners till date for reasons best known to it despite several appeals and representations to the director. Claiming that it had appealed to the department several times, the association alleged that the latter had not demonstrated any positive will to reimburse the fair price shop owners despite the Centre having released funds to the State government in this regard.
It charged the government of failing to deliver justice and acknowledge the contribution of fair price shop owners. Appealing to FCI to also intervene in helping resolve the matter, ANFPSA reiterated that fair price shops owners would continue to serve people of the State.