Date:25/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/25/stories/2008052559270800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Minister refutes Jayalalithaa’s allegation

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: As many as 172 persons have been arrested for smuggling rice since 2006, Food Minister E.V.Velu on Saturday said denying AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa’s allegation that no action was taken against the smugglers.

“When the AIADMK was in power only 78 people were arrested for smuggling rice allotted for the Public Distribution System. But today many persons who were involved in large scale smuggling are in jail,” Mr Velu said in a statement.

In 2006 officials seized 13,014 tonnes of rice and the figure went up to 20,036 tonnes in 2007. In 2008, so far 5,535 tonnes of rice have been seized. “But in the five years between 2001 and 2006 the seizure was only 14,363 tonnes,” he said.

Mr Velu said Ms Jayalalithaa who gathered details about PDS under the Right to Information Act should have also collected the information that one of the smugglers Jayakumar was an AIADMK functionary.

Stating that Ms Jayalalithaa was not able to digest the goodwill enjoyed by the DMK government due to the two-rupee rice scheme, Mr Velu pointed essential items including pulses, palm oil and wheat flour were also being distributed through ration shops to control price rise.

“In April alone, 5,263 tonne toor dhal, 55.34 lakh litre palm oil and 1,978 tonne black gram were distributed,” he added.