The Centre will provide 50,000 tonnes of rice for distribution to flood-affected people in Kerala following a request from the State government.
The quantum of rice will be provided at a cost of ₹20 per kilogram to the State, which has been ravaged by heavy rains that has also resulted in deaths in recent weeks.
On Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a meeting with Piyush Goyal, the Union minister of Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution, in the national capital.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister requested immediate allocation of rice for three months — 50,000 tonnes — as many people in the State are grappling with difficulties due to floods, according to a release issued by the Kerala government.
Goyal accepted the request and the rice will be given at a concessional rate of ₹20 per kilogram, the release said.
Among others, Vijayan sought additional allocation of certain rice varieties coming from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Semi-high speed railway line
During the day, the Chief Minister also held a meeting with Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and discussed the proposed semi-high speed railway line project, called SilverLine, between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod.
Vijayan has requested speedy final approval for the project. Funding for the project from international agencies and related issues were also discussed with the Minister.
The project is estimated to cost ₹63,941 crore and the Centre’s share will be ₹2,150 crore. Land worth ₹975 crore will be that of the railways. The rest of the project amount will be raised by the State government.