Yet to get Centre’s nod for fortified rice: Food min (Tamil Nadu)
Food and civil supplies minister R Sakkarapani has blamed the Union govt’s lack of approval for fortified rice as the cause of delays in paddy procurement in the state. He was speaking to reporters while inspecting Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation’s (TNCSC) direct procurement centres on Wednesday to oversee the ongoing procurement as well as movement of paddy from warehouses.
According to TNCSC, the state govt is required to blend fortified rice kernels (FRK), containing nutritious ingredients, with rice processed from paddy procured from farmers in 1:100 ratio. “The Union govt is yet to approve fortified rice blended by the companies under state govt contract, as per the Union govt’s new guidelines for companies. The delay led to subsequent delays in movement from warehouses and procurement from farmers,” Sakkarapani said in Thanjavur.
He refuted Palaniswami’s claim that the Union govt had approved fortified rice sent by Tamil Nadu in Aug. Speaking in Nagapattinam, he said the state govt invited bids for new contractors for fortified rice scheme in Aug, in line with new guidelines. “Palaniswami claims we received the approval in Aug. Let him submit the evidence. The public should not be misinformed,” the minister said. Sakarapani said the five new contractors were trained in Delhi, and samples they prepared were awaiting approval, as the Union govt was currently testing them in laboratories.
Accompanied by district collectors, Sakkarapani visited several DPCs and paddy warehouses in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai. On Palaniswami’s claim that the AIADMK govt procured 1,000 bags of paddy per day, Sakkarapani said, “The DMK govt officially passed the govt order for a minimum procurement of 1,000 bags per day, only during its tenure.” The minister claimed that the DMK govt has enhanced TNCSC’s infrastructure over the past four years. He also reiterated that the govt fulfilled its election promise by increasing the minimum support price for paddy to up to Rs2,500 per quintal.
This article has been republished from The Times of India.