Assam Food Supplies Minister Assures of Enough Stock of Essentials to Pass Lockdown

Guwahati, March 25, 2020:

Assam Food Supplies department on Wednesday assured that the State has adequate stock to last till the end of the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

Food & Civil Supplies Minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury, while addressing a press conference assured that there the State’s essential materials will not run out of stock during the lockdown period and urged the public to stay calm and cooperate.

He said, “We would like to assure you that we have 2 lakh quintal rice as of now. Some essential items are available, some are being brought and some are being unloaded,” adding that potatoes are being brought, however, the trucks have been stopped at the West Bengal border amid lockdown due to coronavirus scare.

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“We are contacting the West Bengal government to release the trucks loaded with potatoes and onions. Soon those will be released. We have also contacted the Chamber of Commerce and it has ensured that there will be no shortage of food here,” said the food supplies Minister.

He further added that the Assam Government has ordered 10,000 metric tons from National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and that additional quantity of essentials are being brought in. “

“Two rakes of pulses are on the road, one rack (=24,000 quintals) is being unloaded,” added the food supplies Minister, adding that the department had decided with the Deputy Commissioners’ for allowing the operation of rice mills, wheat mills and bakeries.

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Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Hagrama Mohilary has also announced today that the BTC administration will provide essential materials like Dal, mustard oil, etc. to the daily wage earners of the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD).

While addressing a press conference in Kokrajhar, Mohilary said that a total of 5.5 lakh families will receive the essentials from the administration during the lockdown period of 21 days.

Each of the 5.5 lakh families from BTAD will get about 25 kg rice, two kilos of Dal and 500 ml of mustard oil. While rice and dal will be distributed on Thursday, the families will get mustard oil later.

Mohilary welcomed the nation-wide lockdown declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We must follow the lockdown framed by our PM," he said.

The BTC Chief also informed about 10 lakh face masks and sanitizing steps being taken to keep the BTC area and its people coronavirus-free.

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