Date:01/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070159960800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Centre allots additional 5,000 tonnes of wheat

S. Vydhianathan

This is in addition to the monthly allotment of 3,783 tonnes
The allotment is in deference to the State government’s request

CHENNAI: The Central government has sanctioned additional monthly allotment of 5,000 tonnes of wheat to Tamil Nadu for three months from July, apart from the monthly allotment of 3,783 tonnes.

The allotment is in deference to the State’s request for additional allotment in view of increased off-take of wheat at fair price shops.

Earlier, the State planned to purchase wheat from Punjab and Haryana civil supplies corporations. But, the Haryana corporation expressed its inability saying it did not have surplus quantity.

Subsequently, the State decided to purchase 10,000 tonnes of wheat in the open market through tenders. The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation opened an office in Delhi for floating and finalising the tender. It is also pursuing the matter with the Punjab corporation. In the meanwhile, the State government wrote to the Centre seeking sanction of an additional 10,000 tonnes to meet the demand in the public distribution system. For this the Centre has sanctioned the 5,000 tonnes additional monthly quota from July to September. A Food Department official hoped that the Centre would continue to allot an additional 5,000 tonnes after September.

Till May 2006, the State was getting an allotment of 10,000 tonnes of wheat every month. This was reduced to 3,783 tonnes from June 2006. From then on, the State government was pursuing the matter with the Central government for restoring the earlier allotment of 10,000 tonnes.