More than 7,000 quintal rice provided by the government of Japan to Nepal under food assistance has been lying in various go-downs of Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) undistributed for six years.

The NFC's main go-down has 1,100 quintal of rice while rest of the rice are hoarded in various other NFC's go-downs across the country.

It was shared at a programme organised on the occasion of 42nd anniversary of the NFC in the Capital on Friday.

Minister for Supplies Deepak Bohora, who presided over the anniversary programme as a chief guest, instructed the NFC to do the lab test of the rice lying unused for so long.

Minister Bohora told the NFC officials to destroy the rice if it is deemed inedible and sale it if it is still edible.

Bohora pressed for further strengthening the capacity of the Corporation arguing that it would not only benefit the government and the Corporation but also would enable environment where the arbitrary inflation of rice's price by sellers could be curbed.

He argued that the Corporation should maintain digital inventory for the food items stuffed in its go-downs.

Secretary at the Ministry of Supplies Prem Kumar Rai spoke of the need for the Corporation to deliver food items to the public in remote areas on time.

Corporation's Managing Director Shivahari Shrestha shared that the Corporation has been dispatching food items, including one sent by the government of Bangladesh, to remote areas regularly. RSS