Dadeldhura, March 17

Distribution of subsidised rice has been adversely affected in several remote VDCs due to staff crunch at the depots of Nepal food corporation in the far west.

The staff were ousted from their jobs with the closure of depots during the insurgency era. “Though it has been a decade after the depots were revived, we have to distribute foodstuff by managing alternative staff,” said Dilli Raj Lamsal, far-west Food Corporation Depot Chief.

Regional Food Corporation informed that they were compelled to trade rice in the presence of the concerned VDC secretaries, police authority and political leaders.

“Though the depots require as many as 10 officer level employees, 50 assistants and more than 50 other staff to operate them, only 30 staff run the depots,” said Lamsal.

The depots at Paribagar, Khandeshwori and Sunsera Kulau, Melauli and Puchyaudihaat of Baitadi; Bisauna of Darchula; Shreenagar of Bajhang; and Kawadi of Bajura have been without staffers for a decade.

Rana Bahadur Eir, an officer, said folks from far-flung areas of hill districts were hit the hardest.