Govt alert on food shortage
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MAY 06 - The government has urged all stakeholders associated with food supply to remain alert against a possible food scarcity in Kathmandu Valley due to the on-going strike called by the UCPN- Maoist.
A meeting of the supply committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar on Wednesday urged the security forces to stay alert while escorting the convoys bringing foodstuffs and fuel on both long and short routes.
According to estimates, there is enough foodstuff stock with government owned organisations and private wholesalers to suffice the Valley for a month. However, the stock maintained by them has not been able to reach the market following the complete halt in vehicular movement for the last four days.
Anil Thakur, director general of the Department of Commerce, said that the meeting agreed to make arrangements for providing security for ferrying edible goods to the valley. He said that the government could bring vegetables, fruits, fuel and other daily essential goods under police escort depending upon the market situation.
“The meeting also directed government owned organisations like Nepal Food Corporation, Salt Trading Corporation and National Trading Corporation to be ready to release the stocks kept with them,” said Thakur.
Currently, National Trading Corporation has in stock around 1,000 tonnes of sugar. Salt Trading Corporation has salt sufficient for eight months and sugar that can suffice the valley’s needs for two months. Nepal Food Corporation reportedly has in stock 55,000 tonnes of rice.
“There is no problem of salt, sugar and rice. The only problem the customers are facing is a shortage of vegetables in the market,” said an official at Salt Trading Corporation. “We are ready to release the stocks in the market if the government assures us of security.”
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Bhim Rawal, Commerce and Supplies Minister Rajendra Mahato, Ministers from the Water Resource, Energy, Irrigation Ministries and high ranking officials from each of these ministries as well as government food supply and management organisations’ officials.
Posted on: 2010-05-06 10:20
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