Delay by the Nepal Food Corporation to supply food to the depots of remote VDCs has created a food shortage. NFC is distributing food with transportation subsidy to the people living in remote areas and to the government employees based in the district with low food production. The depot of the district headquarters has run out of stock. Bhakta Bahadur Basnet of Nayakbada VDC-5 said that the four depots- Ghat depot at Nayakwada, Chaukha depot of Ragda, Dashear depot of western part and Ghogi depot of Pajaru in the remote areas are empty for the last eight months despite the government pledge to supply food on time prompting near-starvation situation in those areas.

Over a dozen VDCs including Ragda, Bhagwati, Nayakwada, Rokayagaon, Daha, Pajaru, Garkhakot, Koratang and Majhkot are the worst affected. This had added to woes created by the low harvest of maize and millet in the district. In the last fiscal year, the NFC had supplied 800 quintals per depot and 4,200 quintals for the depot at district headquarters. Ram Prasad Poudel, the acting head of NFC, Jajarkot said that though the tender call had been called for two times to supply the food, but was rejected both times. Local civil society leader Keshav Jung Shah said that the stock of food was sold, not to the needy people, but to the producers of local alcoholic drink produced illegally. Poudel added that the delay was due to the depletion of food stock in NFC’s zonal office, Nepal and that the supply would take place soon after Nepalgunj office purchases the paddy.