THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramvilas Paswan has promised to restore the ration rice and wheat quota to the state. A UDF delegation led by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala met him in Delhi on Wednesday and told him about the crisis in the state following the disruption in the public distribution system since October.
Mr Chennithala urged Mr Paswan to give an additional quota of two lakh metric tonnes of rice. He also asked him to solve the strike in the FCI godowns. The strike has stalled the transportation of ration items from FCI godowns to Supplyco outlets and the respective ration shops since October.
The centre has promised to give rice under the minimum support price or open market sale scheme which the state government has rejected. Mr Paswan is expected to hold talks with the officials and take a decision on the delegation’s demand. The office-bearers of the Kerala Ration Dealers Association told DC that 16.25 lakh metric tonnes of rice was currently required in the state.
