Kerala - Kochi   

Rice quota to be increased to make up for wheat cut

Special Correspondent

Irregularities in procurement will be probed, says Minister

No place for corruption, says C. Divakaran

KOCHI: Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran has said the Central Government will make up for the cut in the wheat supply to the State, effected recently, by raising the rice quota.

At a meet-the-press here on Sunday, the Minister said Delhi had, before the Assembly election, indicated that the State's wheat quota would be cut drastically to one-third and Kerala officials had been called to Delhi to discuss the issue.

But, the supply cut was not effected immediately because of the election and hence the officials had thought Delhi had put the idea on hold.

Mr. Divakaran, however, felt that the Centre should have consulted the new Government before cutting the quota. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had already conveyed the State's protest to Delhi and sought restoration of the quota.

The Minister said the Union Government had reduced the State's wheat quota from the Central pool— to be supplied to the below-poverty-line (BPL) and above-poverty-line ration card-holders— from 46,190 tonnes a month to 19,113 tonnes, effective from June.

Mr. Divakaran said the Centre had indicated that it would raise the rice quota proportionately to make up for the loss in wheat.

Mr. Divakaran said the Government believed there were irregularities in the procurement of provisions to be sold through the Civil Supplies Corporation outlets.

He suspected that the contractors who supplied the provisions and the officials concerned had connived to cheat the Corporation. Some of the contractors could turn out to be `benami' persons.

The Corporation managing director had been asked to submit to the Government all the documents relating to the provisions contracts.

`Corrupt will be punished'

He vowed that the corrupt officials behind the deals would be punished, come what may; there would be no compromise on this. The deal would be intensively investigated and the Government would even think of leaving the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Animal rehabilitation

The Minister said the Government had plans to set up animal rehabilitation centres to tackle the stray animal menace.

He said new life would be induced into the Poultry Development Corporation and more eggs would be produced in the State.

As of now, one crore eggs were being imported from Tamil Nadu every day. If adequate eggs are produced in Kerala, the price could be brought down to 50 paise an egg.

Steps were also being taken to jack up milk production, he said and pointed out that 1.4 lakh litres of Tamil Nadu milk was being used up in the Southern districts daily. The quality of the milk was often low.

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