Date:01/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/01/stories/2008050151230100.htm

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Pawar turns down State’s request

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has turned down Kerala’s request to restore its quota of ration rice to the pre-2007 level of 1,13,420 tonnes.

In a letter to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan (which he received on Wednesday), Mr. Pawar said this could not be done as various State government agencies and the Food Corporation of India did not procure adequate quantity of rice. The Union government’s stock of rice was limited as many rice producing States did not handle procurement properly. Besides, shortage of rice was a global phenomenon, he added.

He offered to supply an additional 10,000 tonnes of rice a month to the State for the next two months in the APL (above poverty line) quota. He also undertook to supply an additional 10,000 tonnes of rice a month for the next four months on a temporary basis if Kerala agreed to a reduction of its ration wheat quota by 10,000 tonnes. He had asked Nafed to help Kerala to procure rice from States such as Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.

Earlier, the Chief Minister said the Cabinet had decided to take steps for procurement of rice from West Bengal. It would be distributed in Kerala at prices lower than the open market prices. The State Civil Supplies Corporation would continue to supply rice at Rs.14 a kg through its outlets.