BJP wants rice distribution monitored

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 16. State BJP leaders have urged the Government to ensure proper utilisation of the additional quantity of rice which they have persuaded the Centre to release for implementing the food-for-work programme in drought-hit areas.

They wanted all-party committees immediately formed at the State, district and mandal levels for monitoring and speeding up distribution of rice at the rate of 10 kg per individual per day as proposed by the State Government. The rice must reach unemployed agricultural labourers towards their wages.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Mr. B. Dattatreya, and the BJP State president, Mr. C. Ramachandra Reddy, said the Centre sanctioned additional rice after the former conveyed the State Government's request to the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, at a meeting in New Delhi last evening.

The Prime Minister summoned the Ministers for Finance, Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and, after discussions, accepted the State Government's request, Mr. Dattatreya said. With this, the allotment of rice to Andhra Pradesh had doubled from the initial quota of 3 lakh tonnes valued at Rs. 330 crores.

The Union Minister emphasised that the rice placed at the State's disposal would create six lakh mandays of employment. It was now the Government's duty to activate its official machinery and distribute the rice on a war-footing.

He further pointed out that the foodgrains allocation was in addition to a sum of Rs. 278 crores already sanctioned by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh from the Calamity Relief Fund. The Government of India was willing to release the second tranche of Rs. 77 crores from the CRF if the State Government made a such a request.

Mr. Dattatreya said the Prime Minister had categorically assured him that he would safeguard the interests of AP by advancing the release of funds for Centrally-sponsored schemes and injecting a fresh dose of money from the National Calamity Contingency Fund if the situation did not improve.

Answering questions, Mr. Dattatreya said his information was that the State Government would have to complete the food-for- programme by October although the State Government had sought clearance for distribution of rice at the rate of 1.5 lakh tonnes per month up to June.

Mr. Ramachandra Reddy wanted the Government to create a reserve fund on the lines of CRF to meet contingencies arising out of recurring natural calamities. It must fully utilise the services of the newly-elected representatives of Gram Panchayats, Mandal and Zilla Parishads to distribute rice on a war-footing, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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