Consumers in Tamil Nadu will soon get rice at lower than market price with the State Government announcing plans to procure rice from West Bengal to sell through cooperative stores here.
It has also decided to continue with the subsidised sale of toor dal, urad dal and palmolein at current rates over the Public Distribution System for the next six months, up to March 31, 2013.
The Government will foot a bill of Rs 907 crore to continue with the subsidy, according to an official press release.
As part of a market intervention programme to keep the prices of essential commodities in check, the State Government has decided to procure rice from West Bengal. It will purchase varieties such as ‘Sorna’, IR 36 and IR 50, which are comparable to the ‘Ponni’ variety preferred in Tamil Nadu.
The rice will be sold through the ‘Amudham’ chain of fair price shops and cooperative stores under the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation. The price of a kilogramme of ‘Sorna’ and IR 36 has been fixed at Rs 25 and other varieties at Rs 31.
The State Government had earlier created a Rs 50-crore market intervention fund to keep a check on the prices of essential commodities.
The decision to intervene in rice prices was taken following the increasing prices of fine grain rice varieties, at a meeting of senior ministers and officials led by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, the release said.
The Government will also continue with the sale of tur dal and urad dal at Rs 30 a kg and palmolein at Rs 25 a litre over the PDS. This will continue for the next six months, the release said.
Keywords: TN rice consumers, TN Govt, PDS rice, subsidised sale of dal, palmolein, Sorna, IR 36, IR 50, Jayalalithaa, Amudham fair price shops
Comments:
Good News. Anticipating Price rise TN CM is doing her best to the people. Kudos to her Excellency!.
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