Date:05/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/05/stories/2008080552790300.htm

Kerala - Kollam

AIYF stir against cut in ration

taff Reporter

Political conspiracy alleged

AIYF workers to march to FCI godowns tomorrow
Sees bid to help retail majors, UDF

KOLLAM: The All India Youth Federation (AIYF) will take out a march to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns in the State on August 6 (Wednesday) demanding withdrawal of the Centre’s decision to stop the supply of ration rice quota to Above Poverty Line (APL) consumers in the State.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, AIYF State secretary P.S. Supal alleged there was a “two-pronged conspiracy” behind the decision to cut ration rice allocation to the State — to promote the interests of retail majors and enable the United Democratic Front (UDF) make political capital out of it.

He alleged that Ministers from Kerala in the Union Cabinet were behind the conspiracy to cut PDS rice allocation.

Mr. Supal said Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s statement that on the basis of requests from Congress leaders in the State and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader K. Muraleedharan, the Centre would make allocation of rice for APL consumers during Onam exposed the political conspiracy behind the cut in rice quota.

Allocation of grains during Onam was no special concession for the State, he said. Such special allocations are a regular feature to States during the respective festival season.

In 2001, sugar allocation to APL consumers was totally withdrawn. While rice allocation to APL cardholders in the State was 1,13,420 tonnes in 2006, it was slashed to 17,056 tonnes in April this year, and now even that has been cut.

Though food grain production in the State was comparatively low, Kerala was a major foreign exchange earner for the country. It was on the basis of this that the Centre had made the justified rice allocation to the State.

Petrol sale

Mr. Supal said the AIYF opposed the decision of petrol dealers to operate pumps only between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. and keep them closed on Sundays. T

he AIYF will not allow the petrol dealers to implement such a decision, he said. He said decision was ‘anti-people.’ State vice-president of AIYF Sam K. Daniel was also present.