AGARTALA, March 29 (TIWN): Food Corporation of India (FCI) to ferry another 10, 000 metric ton of rice to Tripura via Bangladesh on March 31, as the train services in the northeastern states have been stopped in southern part of northeast region due to gauge conversion. Talking to TIWN today DM (West) informed that the FCI will hold a meeting on March 30 in regard of supplying the rice to Tripura, which will reach here through Bangaladesh Ashuganj port.Tripura government has urged the central government to carry rice for the state regularly via Bangladesh till the railway's gauge conversion works are completed. “We want to create a buffer stock of food grain in Tripura before beginning of the monsoon,” said Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhanulal Saha earlier. The monsoon starts in June and it continue up to September creating a gigantic problem in ferrying food grains, essentials and other goods from other parts of India to northeast via mountainous roads, as the areas are very landslide prone and jagged condition.It is worthy to be mentioned here that the FCI last year ferried 10,000 tonnes of rice in two phases to Tripura from Visakhapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh via Bangladesh. However, the next consignment of rice would be ferried from Kolkata instead of Andhra Pradesh to Tripura via Bangladesh on March 31 to save time and costs.

 The FCI has decided to carry a total of 35,000 tonnes of rice in different phases for Tripura via Bangladesh by next year. While following diplomatic parleys, the Bangladesh government agreed to transport food grains for Tripura across its territory without charging any duty under a special transit facility. It is to be mentioned here that the first consignment of rice form Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh via Bangladesh Ashuganj river port reached Akhaura check post on August 7, 2014 and this was for the first time Bangladeshi trucks transported rice from Ashuganj port into Agartala’s warehouses.

Earlier in 2012, Bangladesh had allowed state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to ferry heavy machinery, turbines and over-dimensional cargoes through Ashuganj port for the 726 MW Palatana mega power project in southern Tripura.