The government has got a rap on the knuckle from the standing committee on agriculture ministry for having reneged on its pledge made two years ago to put an alleviation infrastructure -- as distinguished from temporary relief hand-outs -- in place to cover the Monga-vulnerable pockets.

It must be stated as a tribute to the integrity of the chairman of the standing committee who is a ruling party MP, that he meant business saying that despite three years of submitting recommendations to the government for action, the committee has failed to draw the latter's attention.

The government's commitment had two parts: first, commencing crop diversification programme; and secondly, undertaking projects for small and cottage industries with a view to offering alternative job opportunities to the people. Monga is typically characterised by food shortage, joblessness and a drastic fall in purchasing power during the months of September and October.

None of the promises seem to have been fulfilled and the reason why this has happened sounds as baffling as it is ludicrous.

While the standing committee's three-year-long trail of recommendations has drawn a blank, the subcommittee formed nine months back to suggest ways of creating alternative jobs in the Monga zone has yet to yield any report.

Typically, political chemistry has seemingly come into play behind the deficit of action. The stalemate is attributed by the opposition members to lack of interest on the part of their ruling party colleagues, because the Monga-prone area is largely represented by opposition MPs. Also, the chairman of the subcommittee which is entrusted to deal with the specifics of the issue, is a man from outside northwestern region, so that he has little 'stake' in the matter.

There is still time to make an all-out inter-ministerial move so as to minimise effects of a possible Monga on people in some northwestern districts.