The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : "Officials will be hauled up for lapses"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 05, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

"Officials will be hauled up for lapses"

Special Correspondent

Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme launched in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts

VILLUPURAM: Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudi and Minister for Backward Classes M.R.K. Panneerselvam have hinted that the success of the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme depends upon official co-operation. If there is any lapse in implementation, officials will be held responsible, they said.

Inaugurating the scheme at Perumal Koil Street here on Sunday, Mr. Pondmudi said officials were aware that thousands of "excess" ration cards were in circulation, and if they tracked them down, the Public Distribution System would do better. He asked Collector Ashish Chatterji to take action against both salespersons and officials concerned, if there were complaints against fair price shops.

Mr. Ponmudi said that as a member of the committee that drafted the DMK's election manifesto, he knew the scheme was feasible. Thanks to the administrative ability of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, it had become a reality.

Mr. Ponmudi handed over ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to Vatsala, widow of D.S.M. Raja of Thiruvennainallur who died in the Kargil war, and Rs. 50, 000 each to the families of five children who were drowned at Vadakurumbur recently.

Launching the scheme at the Saravanabhava Cooperative Stores at Cuddalore, Mr. Panneerselvam said the police would keep vigil on fair price shops and bring to book wrongdoers. Since the cardholders could lift their entitlements at their convenience, it was up to the officials to avoid crowding at the shops.

Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi said that through 1,267 fair price shops, 10,968 tonnes was being distributed a month.

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