NFC officials said devastating winter drought last year resulted in higher demand of food from many remote districts in western and far-western regions.
“We have demanded additional Rs 530 million along Rs 350 million sanctioned for fiscal year 2008/09 to double the quantity of food to be delivered in around two dozen food deficit districts,” said Bijay Dhwaj Thapa, deputy general manager of NFC - state owned food supplier.
NFC has demanded transport subsidy of Rs 850 million for the current fiscal year, up from Rs 610 million sanctioned last year.
According to Thapa, 23 districts, which are reeling under food shortage, has demanded a total of 289,000 quintals of food this year. NFC had distributed 110,000 quintals of rice to those districts last year.
“We have written to the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) to make necessary financial arrangement to supply 222,000 quintals of rice, lower than 289,000 quintals demanded by the districts,” Thapa told myrepublica.com. NFC is planning to supply 25,000 quintals in Jumla, 14,000 quintals in Humla, 14,700 quintals in Mugu and 22,500 quintals in Dolpa. The state-owned food utility has received demands of 31,000 quintals from Jumla, 29,000 quintals from Humla, 24,000 quintals from Mugu and 30,000 quintals from Dolpa.
Thapa also informed that NFC is procuring about 200,000 quintals to 225,000 quintals rice from the private sector in the current fiscal year.
Along with food grains, NFC has also started distributing edible oil in remote districts, including Gorkha, Jumla, Kaski, Mugi and Humla, in its bid to intervene market. NFC is distributing edible oil at Rs 200 and Rs 185 per liter in Humla and Jumla respectively, far lower than local market price of Rs 350 and Rs 250 per liter respectively.
NFC procured 200,000 liters of edible oil from private sector a few months back to intervene the market.
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