Date:04/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/04/stories/2007120490920100.htm

Front Page

2,000 tonnes of rice to be brought from Andhra

Essential commodities to be lifted from other States

Bid to check price rise in State
Rice to be sold through outlets

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Civil Supplies Corporation will directly procure rice and other essential commodities from other States to check price rise, Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran said here on Monday.

At a press conference, the Minister said that up to 2,000 tonnes of rice would lifted from Andhra Pradesh. However, wagon shortages were affecting movement of rice. Corporation officials were camping in Rajasthan and Gujarat for procurement of various commodities.

Mr. Divakaran announced that the corporation would open outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode for sale of rice. The government would offer Re. 1 a kg as subsidy for rice sold by the corporation. People’s bazaars would be opened during the Christmas season to meet demand for various items.

In reply to the allegations that he and Revenue Minister K. P. Rajendran had gone to the Cantonment police station here to force the release of a local councillor belonging to his party, the Minister said that he had gone there on hearing reports that there were unruly scenes at the police station and that the State Secretary of his party was at the station. He had gone there to enquire what had happened.

He said the law proposed by the State government to prevent hoarding and check prices was being vetted by the Law Department. The policy of the Central government, he added, aids hoarders.

There is no law to check the entry of monopolies into the retail sector. Some local self-governments have permitted retail chains. However, the Left Democratic Front is opposed to that, the Minister said.