MINISTER FOR FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS MR BHOJ RAJ RAI INAGURATES NEWLY CONSTRUCTED 200 METRIC TON CAPACITY FOOD GODOWN

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies and Urban Development Departments, Mr Bhoj Raj Rai, who graced the event as the Chief Guest, inaugurated the newly completed godown.

Present among others were Secretary F&CSD Mr Anil Raj Rai, Additional Secretary F&CSD Ms Diki Doma Bhutia, Additional Controller (LMU) Mr LB Pradhan, Joint Controller LMU Mr Jigmee Kazi, Joint LMU & CPC Mr Titus Basnett, DCSO Namchi Mr. Tenzing Bhutia, Joint Director PDS Mr Anil Sikdel, Food Inspector Ms Neema Tamang, Incharge Temi Godown Mr Akash Rai, SHO Temi Ms Jyotsna Gurung, Zilla Panchayat Temi Tarku Territorial Mr Durga Pd. Dahal, Panchayat President 10-Temi GPU Ms Binita Bista, Panchayat President Tarku Tanak GPU Mr Narendra Basnet, along with other Panchayat members, staff of F&CSD, Fair Price Shop (FPS) owners, and members of the public.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister congratulated the community on the establishment of new food storage facility and stressed the importance of its proper maintenance and effective use by the public. He further reiterated that beneficiaries of AAY, PHH, OPH, and other schemes should complete their e-KYC and other updates using the department’s automated systems for seamless services.

He also urged the public to engage in agriculture and other sectors for self-reliance and dignity, calling it honorable work. In addition, he advised against relying solely on government jobs and encouraged people to explore opportunities in business, entrepreneurship, and creative fields—aiming to become job creators rather than job seekers. Furthermore, he encouraged all to work toward the betterment of society and contribute to the overall growth of the state.

Secretary F&CSD Mr Anil Raj Rai spoke about the status of schemes being implemented in the state. He informed that advance lifting of rice stocks for the months of June, July, and August will be disbursed soon and requested all Fair Price Shop stakeholders to ensure the stocks reach beneficiaries before June 30 for smooth and uninterrupted supply.

He also explained that Aadhaar updating for National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries will remain open for an extended period and urged all beneficiaries to link their Aadhaar with their ration cards. Furthermore, he stated that while 80% of Sikkim’s population has completed e-KYC, 20% are still left to enroll in the automated system. He called upon those present to actively spread awareness about the necessity of these updates. He mentioned that beneficiaries who fail to complete e-KYC and Aadhaar linking will be automatically removed from the beneficiary list.

District Civil Supplies Officer (DCSO) Namchi, Mr Tenzing Bhutia, spoke about various government schemes under the Food and Civil Supplies Department. He requested all 18 Fair Price Shops (FPS) in the area to coordinate closely with the Department to achieve the objectives. He also elaborated on the three-step verification process, which includes biometric authentication, iris scan, and Aadhaar card authentication. Further, the DCSO called upon all stakeholders to actively promote awareness about the importance of updating Aadhaar details with linked phone numbers.

Joint Director (LMU & CPC) Mr Titus Basnett spoke on the Consumer Protection Act and grievance redressal systems. He explained the distinction between consumers of goods and consumers of services and provided contact information where complaints can be filed: ‘State Consumer Helpline’ – 1800-345-3209, and Landline – 03592-202675. Moreover, he briefed the attendees on the e-Jagriti Portal and emphasized that complaints can be filed and registered in regional languages as well. He also urged the public not to pay more than the printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and informed them about fines and penalties for violating consumer rights, which can range from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.

AE, F&CSD, Mr Paljor Namgyal Bhutia presented the technical report for the newly completed food godown and shared key features and specifications. He stated that the godown was built at a cost of ₹1.87 crore and offers a storage capacity of up to 4,000 bags of rice.