Launching of spl VGF for Sidr-hit people delayed

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FE Report
The government could not launch its announced 'special' VGF (vulnerable group feeding) programme in the cyclone-hit coastal districts from December 1, 2007 due to lack of necessary preparations.
"The VGF could not be launched according to the plan mainly due to non-completion of the beneficiaries' lists," a senior official of the Food and Disaster Ministry said Saturday.
Without mentioning any fresh date, Joint Secretary of the said ministry, M Shafiqul Islam, said it will take some more days to start the VGF scheme for cyclone-affected people.
He was responding to a question at a press briefing on 'losses to agriculture sector due to Sidr and rehabilitation', which was held at the Secretariat with the agriculture adviser CS Karim in the chair.
"The process is on to make the list of beneficiaries under the proposed VGF programme. We will start distributing rice among the VGF cardholders from the district where the list will be completed first," he said.
The official further said other districts would come under the scheme in phases.
Earlier, The Food and Disaster Management adviser Tapan Chowdhury at a press briefing on November 21 announced that government would launch a special VGF programme in 12 Sidr-hit coastal districts from December 1.
Each of total 2.59 million VGF cardholders in affected districts will be receiving 15 kilogrammes (kgs) of rice per month until March 2008 under the extensive VGF scheme, Tapan told the newsmen.
He further said the government would require distributing about 150,000 tonnes of foodgrains among the beneficiaries in 790 unions/paurashavas under the cyclone-hit districts, he mentioned.
The food and disaster adviser also said the government will distribute some 5000 VGF cards in each union or paurashava of four worst-affected districts namely Barguna, Patuakhali, Bagerhat and Pirojpur.
On the other hand, 2000 such cards will also be distributed in every union/paurashava under the remaining eight cyclone-affected districts - Barishal, Jhalakathi, Bhola, Madaripur, Gopalgonj, Shariatpur, Khulna and Satkhira, he mentioned.