CHENNAI: Food Minister E.V. Velu clarified on Monday that it was not mandatory for applicants of ration cards to obtain a recommendation letter from an MLA or an MP.

Replying to a query from C. Gnanasekharan (Congress), he said it was in response to requests from elected representatives that the Government made a provision to consider applications forwarded by them. Merely because an MLA or an MP forwarded an application, a person was not entitled to a card. The application would be scrutinised and only after officials are satisfied would the card be issued. The applications forwarded by MLAs and MPs to District Collectors would be considered on a priority basis.

Mr. Velu said people continued to submit applications at PDS offices for ration cards. This was a round-the-year activity. In Chennai, such applications were being accepted at 14 places. In north Chennai 46,105 new applications had been received and in south Chennai 29,592 applications.

Speaker's request

Speaker R. Avudaiappan requested members not to disseminate inaccurate information on the functioning of the House. He had given more time for the Opposition members to speak. The DMDK, represented by a lone member, was given a total of one hour and three minutes so far. The 94 DMK members together got 12 hours and 30 minutes.

Agricultural loans

Cooperation Minister Ko.Si. Mani assured members that regardless of whether a primary agricultural cooperative bank functioned in a locality, there would be no problem in granting loans to farmers. He was replying to K. Arumugam (PMK), who wanted the Minister to reopen the Vengampakkam Primary Agricultural Cooperative Bank at Chengalpattu.

There would be no discrimination against grant of loans to people who were taking it for the first time, Mr. Mani said, in reply to a question from V. Sivapunniyam (CPI). The total amount disbursed by banks in the delta districts was more than eight times that of the previous year.

Responding to requests from C. Govindasamy and K. Balabharathy (both CPI-M), Revenue Minister I. Periyasamy said he would discuss with the Chief Minister the issue of granting house pattas to those who had encroached on specified areas. A stay order was in operation against granting pattas for certain classified "poramboke lands" and hence the Government could not grant pattas in these areas.

He reminded the House that the earlier DMK government had granted house pattas for lakhs of people, based on certain criteria.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail