Subsidised rice sold out, consumers in lurch

Jajarkot, May 2

The subsidised rice sent for Sarmi depot of Nepal Food Corporation was sold before it could reach the target people.

The rice, which was being brought for Sarmi depot at Mudkechula Rural Municipality from NFC, was sold at Tribeni of Aathbiskot Municipality of Rukum district.

Tribeni lies at the border of Jajarkot, Dolpa and Rukum districts. Locals said they did not get rice as the subsidised rice was sold before it reached Sarmi depot. The rice, provided by the government at subsidised rate, was brought to the depot through contract every year.

Janak Budha of BC Trades, Salyan, said 1,000 quintal rice supplied through contract was sold at Tribeni of Rukum without taking it to Sarmi depot. Chief of NFC, Dolpa, Kamal Raj Pandey accepted that such amount of subsidised rice was sold at Tribeni in the presence of employee of Sarmi depot, Mukunda Paneru. The locals of Mudkechula have not received subsidised rice after the rice was sold at Tribeni.

Chairperson of Mudkechula Rural Municipality Datta Bahadur Shahi demanded action against those behind the illegal act. “The villages are facing rice shortage. It is a yearly phenomenon that subsidised rice gets sold off before the consignment reaches the targeted people,” he said.

The local people reach Sarmi depot every day only to return empty-handed.

The villages depend on subsidised and purchased rice as they do not produce enough food grains to sustain the whole year. Sarmi depot now is empty of subsidised rice as the supply for this year is yet to reach.

The locals have to carry loads of food grains on their back or rely on mules as the villages are disconnected from the road network.