After four long months PDS resumes in the Hills of North Bengal

Darjeeling, October 8, 2017: After more than four months, Public Distribution (PDS) has resumed in the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

Incidentally PDS had been discontinued during the 104 days long bandh that had started on June 8 as part of the Gorkhaland agitation.

On October 4, the PDS dealers, distributors had a meeting with the State Government at Uttarkanya, the mini secretariat near Siliguri attended by Jyotipriyo Mullick, Minister in charge of food supply; Gautam Deb, Tourism Minister and Rabindranath Ghosh, North Bengal Development Minister.

It was decided in the meeting that Ata would not be distributed as 1000 metric ton of had spoiled during the strike. "There are chances that the rotten Ata could be mixed with fresh stocks and distributed hence we will distribute instead of Ata in the first few days" the food minister had stated.

14 food inspectors from Kolkata along with 5 from Siliguri have been deputed in the Hills to check stocks and ensure that the food grains being distributed is of proper quality.

9550 metric ton of rice is available in stock. It was decided that for the first one month the PDS shops will remain open all 7 days of the week.

Though most PDS shops opened in the Hills, some did not open complaining of shortage of laborers to bring in stock.

"In the Hills most of the shops are located in areas that are not motorable and stocks have to carried through head load. With the prolonged bandh most of the daily wage labourers have left the Hills in search of work elsewhere. Hence there is an acute shortage and we are facing problems" stated a PDS dealer from Darjeeling.

There are 690 PDS shops in the Hills catering to 8 and a half lakh beneficiaries.

"Supplies have started with the pickets being lifted and with vehicles available. PDS has resumed. Rations have reached almost all shops" stated Joyoshi Das Gupta, District Magistrate, Darjeeling.

OneIndia News