Assam to soon have civil supplies corporation

GUWAHATI: Assam government has finally started the process of setting up of Assam State Civil Supplies Corporation.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi gave the go-ahead to the setting up of the Assam State Civil Supplies Corporation following a meeting with senior Government officials and faculty members of Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.

Gogoi met Prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh recently in New Delhi and made a strong pitch for continuation of existing system of supply of sugar under PDS through FCI for at least a year till the formation of the State Civil Supplies Corporation. However centre did not relent to state government’s request.

Presently distribution of sugar through the PDS is stooped in Assam. Union Ministry of food and agriculture has directed that the supply of subsidized sugar through ration shops has been withdrawn, the Ministry would allow Rs. 18.50 subsidy to state government that will allow sugar through rationing system at Rs. 13.50 per Kg

Gogoi while giving the go-ahead with the proposed Assam State Civil Supplies Corporation said the new structure should be robust and vibrant and able to withstand the pressures and overcome them. “The design concept by IIM, Shillong seems to be innovative with fresh ideas and thinking. It’s good that the best model has been adopted for hassle-free implementation down to the producers’ level, the main stakeholders in the corporation coming up.”

Chief Minister stressed on the need to ensure communities’ involvement vis-a-vis farmers, women, fair price shop owners, producers, amar dukanis to make the new corporation live up to the expectations of the public at large.

Faculty members of IIM, Shillong said the new model for the corporation has been designed after a series of discussions with senior Government officials and with the people who matters the most. The new corporation to be set up on a private-public-partnership mode will have a structure in place to sustain both domestic and international dynamics.

A two-tier structure – Tier I an executing company and Tier II an initiating corporate body.

Faculty member said, “The model for the corporation is based on Indian kibbutz, a new age government initiated community business organisation where the communities would love to take part, invest and reap the benefits wherever they may be.”

The IIM faculty members explained to the Chief Minister that they have designed the structure in such a way that it would ensure smooth transition from the legacy system to the new age PDS. “The new corporation with minimal government dependence will cater to the existing and future PDS needs for Assam for the next 40-50 years,” they asserted.