Date:07/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/07/stories/2008090752990400.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Divakaran denies Chandy’s charge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Food and Civil Supplies C. Divakaran has described as baseless the charge of Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy that rice for the noon-meal scheme for schoolchildren is being diverted to the open market. Mr. Divakaran said in a release here on Saturday that the Civil Supplies Corporation had sufficient stock and the noon-meal scheme had not been disrupted so far. The stock of rice and green gram was being released as per the Education Department’s demands. The government had also given 5 kg rice free of cost to students in connection with Onam.