Aizawl: A large consignment of rice supplied by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) reached Sairang Railway Station in Mizoram on Tuesday, marking a significant boost to the state’s food supply system, officials said.
The shipment comprised 42 railway wagons carrying nearly 25,900 quintals of rice from Punjab. The stock will be stored at the newly built FCI warehouse in Sairang, which is the largest storage facility in the state.
Rajya Sabha MP and FCI Mizoram Consultative Committee Chairman K Vanlalvena, along with Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister B Lalchhanzova, received the consignment at the station.
Vanlalvena stated that the introduction of direct rail connectivity to Sairang would help overcome persistent delays in rice distribution. Earlier, supplies had to be transported over long distances by road, often causing slow movement of stock to district godowns.
He expressed confidence that the new rail route would significantly improve the efficiency of the distribution network.
Previously, freight trains carrying rice could only travel up to Bairabi in Kolasib district near the Assam border, limiting direct access to other parts of the state.
Addressing the gathering, Lalchhanzova described the development as a landmark achievement for Mizoram. He said the arrival of rice by rail at Sairang would strengthen buffer stock availability, particularly ahead of the monsoon season.
The minister informed that Mizoram’s monthly rice requirement stands at 97,000 quintals. Of this, 55,000 quintals are supplied by the FCI, including 41,000 quintals provided free of cost. The remaining quantity is procured under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) at a rate of Rs 830 per quintal.
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He added that the government is making efforts to source better-quality rice for consumers.
With the Bairabi–Sairang railway line now operational, Sairang station will function as the main distribution hub for rice meant for FCI godowns in Aizawl, Lunglei and Lawngtlai districts. Meanwhile, Bairabi station will continue to cater to the northern districts of the state, the minister said.
