Mizoram minister ease peoples about mega block which begins from this October ~ The Borapansury Times

Thursday 21 August 2014

Mizoram minister ease peoples about mega block which begins from this October

John Rotluangliana

Aizawl (Mizo News)/Borapansury: “People should not panic over an impending Mega Block owing to which the supply of rice to Mizoram is likely to be affected. Although this Mega Block which begins from this October is believe to affect supply of rice and other commodities, the state government is taking relentless efforts to overcome the impending problem,” said Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister John Rotluangliana during a press conference.

The Mega Block which is sure to take place from this October owing to the railway expansion along Lumding-Silchar-Bairabi is likely to affect Mizoram and its neighbouring states like Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland. Although the Mega Block is believed to disturb the supply of rice to Mizoram, the government is taking every possible step to overcome the problems. During this Mega Block the state would transship rice from Baihatta and Changsari by road.

Convening a press conference Wednesday, John Rotluangliana told media that the state government is taking all possible effort to prevent Mizoram from facing food crisis. As for this matter, he had already met DoNER Minister V.K. Singh on 8th August. Apart from V.K. Singh, the minister also met Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan during which some proposal were submitted to the latter. The state supply minister during his meeting with Union Minister had also asked the latter that possibility should be made for transportation of rice from Guwahati to Mizoram by road and from Bangladesh via Agartala-Silchar road.

He said that CM Lal Thanhawla had also earlier in his DO letter No. 11014/20/2014-FCS&CA dated 12th August, 2014 asked Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to grant 8000 MT under OMSS/MSP and to allow import of rice in credit system for 9 months.

Citing about the insufficient supply of cooking gas, John Rotluangliana said the state of Mizoram received less supply of cooking gas due to several factors. According to him factors like (1) closure of Numalgiri Refinery Ltd from 11th March, 2014 to 12, April, 2014; (2) closure of Guwahati Refinery from 12.05.14 to 13.06.14; (3) reduction of gas distribution from Guwahati Refinery and Bongaigoan Refinery in recent time, (4) power cut at NRL during 03.07.14 to 10.07.14 and (5) Bandh organized by various pressure group like ABMSU, AKRASU, ABSU etc had greatly affected cooking gas supply to the state.

The Minister mentioned that as a result of the initiative of the government, Mizoram received 125601 gas cylinders in July making an increment of 31719 cylinder over the number of gas supply in June.