Home Ministry asks CAPFs to deploy additional manpower, quickly replenish stocks at Manipur police canteens

The MHA has reportedly asked the CAPFs to plan for additional material and resources as the opening of these canteens for the common people would "result in a surge of demand".

New Delhi: The government has directed the CAPFs to provide additional manpower to the police canteens in Manipur following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's declaration of opening more than 36 such stores for the general public in view of the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.

Official sources told PTI that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also directed that arrangements must be made to continuously "replenish" stocks at these outlets as they begin functioning from Tuesday.

A Central Industrial Security Force-run canteen was inaugurated at the Imphal airport on Tuesday.

Police canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) function under the banner of the "Kendriya Police Kalyan Board" and sell items ranging from groceries, consumer durables and items of daily need, like those sold at a supermarket or a grocery.

The personnel of forces under the command of the MHA such as the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, NSG, Assam Rifles and some other allied organisations are eligible to purchase goods from these canteens at a 50 per cent GST concession that is provided from the internal budget of these forces.

"The MHA ordered for these canteens to be opened to the public in view of the supply chain for daily use goods taking a hit due to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state since last year.

"The local public will get the items from these canteens at a reasonable price," a senior CAPF officer said.

Three CAPFs -- CRPF, BSF and CISF -- apart from the Manipur Police, have a network of master and subsidiary canteens in various parts of the violence-hit state.

Shah said on Monday that 16 new such canteens will be opened for the people of Manipur apart from the 21 that are in existence to provide essential commodities to the common people at reasonable prices.

Of the 16 such stores, eight will be in the valley and the remaining will be opened in the hilly areas, he said.

The MHA, as per the sources, has asked the CAPFs to plan for additional material and resources as the opening of these canteens for the common people would "result in a surge of demand".

It said the forces will have to play a "proactive role" to cater to the demands and if required, "manpower may be increased at these canteens on a need basis".

The items at these stores should also be "replenished on a regular basis", the ministry said.

Ethnic violence has been going on in Manipur since May 3 last year after a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts of the state to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Since then, over 220 people belonging to both the Kuki and Meitei communities and security personnel have been killed in the violence.