Date:22/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/22/stories/2008112255510700.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Glut in common variety rice

Special Correspondent

State forced to sell excess stocks to Maharashtra

Most households prefer superfine variety of rice
Grocery shops told to display three colour boards

HYDERABAD: There is a glut of common variety of rice in godowns in the State forcing the government to sell the stocks in excess of local requirements to Maharashtra at a reasonable price.

The surplus availability in the godowns is the result of most households in the State, including daily wage-earning families, preferring the superfine variety of rice. As a bumper khariff crop is expected this year, space has to be provided in the godowns for the fresh arrivals.

Disclosing this to reporters here on Friday, Civil Supplies Minister K. Venkatakrishna Reddy said the sale to Maharashtra, however, would be a government-to-government transaction without involvement of the rice-millers. The ban on export of superfine rice would continue.

He said it was resolved to make it mandatory for grocery shops selling rice, dal and edible oils, to display three-colour boards indicating the owner’s name in one colour, the stocks and rates in another and the telephone number of (18004252977 ) of the helpline in the third colour. Any grievance against the shop could be lodged with the helpline.

Gas connections

Mr. Reddy said oil companies had been asked to ensure supply of LPG refills within five to seven days of applying, and LPG connections within the “specified time-limit”. Representatives of the oil companies promised to release 2.66 lakh Deepam connections by end of March. Meanwhile checks on outflow of superfine rice continues.