The Hindu Business Line : AP: War of words over diversion of food-for-work rice

THE diversion of two lakh tonnes of `food-for-work' rice continues to prompt heated arguments between the Congress Government and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Mr K. Rosaiah, Finance Minister, ridiculed TDP's argument that it was not wrong in diverting the rice stock and wondered how they could sell such a huge quantity of rice for meeting transport charges and Sales Tax.

"There were occasions when we punished fair price shop dealers for misuse of even a bag of rice. If that is the case, how can they misuse two lakh tonnes?" Mr Rosaiah asked.

On Tuesday, Mr C. Ramachandraiah, TDP's spokesman, explained that the rice was given to Civil Supplies Department, which had incurred an expenditure of Rs 259 crore to get rice from the Centre for the food-for-work programme. He said the Government needed to reimburse the department.

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