Rukum East locals benefit from fair-priced rice sold by FMTCL

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Rukum East, Oct.1: For the first time in Rukum East, a branch of Food Management and Trading Company Limited has been set up in the district and rice is being sold from there.

Since September 17, a food branch has been set up in Rukumkot, in Sisne Rural Municipality-6 and the sale of rice have been started.

As rice is available at cheaper rates than those in the market, there is a flow of people to buy the food.

Also, since rice is being sold at a discounted price on the occasion of Dashain-Tihar and Chhath festivals, the residents are willing to buy rice, said Chandra Bahadur Khadka, acting chief of the Food Management and Trading Company Limited (FMTCL), Rukumkot.

"Every day 300-400 people are purchasing rice," he said. "One sack of 25kg rice has been given to one person in a month's interval."

The branch said that when coming to buy rice, a person must bring his/her identity document with him.

Khadka said that if a person comes with a document revealing his identity, s/he will get the rice. “The aim is to ensure that everyone gets the same amount of rice.” 

In this fiscal year, a quota of 3,000 quintals of rice has been approved in the district. Out of which 300 quintals have been received so far, of which 230 quintals have been sold, Khadka informed.

At present, 80-85 quintals of rice are being sold daily due to festivals, according to the company.

At present, the food branch of the district has Jira Masino, Sona Mansuli, Makwanpur and Basmati rice.

A sack of 25kg rice is cheaper by Rs. 500- Rs. 800 in the FMTC compared with the market price, he said.

After they started getting cheaper rice, the district residents have demanded the establishment of food distribution centres or food depot offices in remote communities.

Khadka said that such offices will be established soon in coordination with the rural areas targeting people there and rice will be sold from other places in the district.