Date:17/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/17/stories/2008091753400300.htm

Tamil Nadu

“More than a poll promise”

ARUPPUKOTTAI: Minister for Backward Classes K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran launched the sale of Re 1 a kg rice through public distribution system here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that Chief Minister K. Karunanidhi has not only fulfilled what he promised during the 2006 Assembly election campaign by reducing the PDS rice price to Rs. 2 a kg, but also had brought it down further to Re. 1 a kg.A total of 5,13,369 family card holders in the district would benefit under the scheme and the district would consume 8,331 tonnes of rice every month. The sale of 10 cooking items for Rs. 50 through ration shops would be launched on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi, he added.

He listed various government schemes that were implemented by the present Government. Collector V. Chandrasekaran said that 1,79,415 kg of smuggled ration rice were seized till date ever since the Rs. 2 a kg rice scheme was implemented. The district administration has introduced the system of delivering new ration cards to applicants at their doorstep. A public grievance redressel meeting on PDS would be held at Sattur on September 20 and at Kariapatti on September 30.

Minister for School Education Thangam Thennarasu launched the scheme at Mallankinaru.