Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Cabinet decision on Bengal rice this week

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran said here on Monday that the next meeting of the Cabinet would decide on the purchase of rice from West Bengal.

Addressing a press conference in connection with the second anniversary of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, the Minister said the purchase would be made only after the Cabinet approved the price and quantity of rice to be bought from West Bengal.

Mr. Divakaran announced that paper work was complete for the establishment of a veterinary university in the State.

He asserted that the integrated food security programme would be taken up this year itself despite differences in the LDF over its funding. (The issues could not be resolved at a meeting held between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India leaders here on Monday).

Announcing the programmes to be taken up during the current year, the Minister said that hi-tech dairy farms would be started at Kulathupuzha (Kollam district) and Dhoni (Palakkad district).

The State-level inauguration of poultry villages and the State-wide network of sales outlets planned by the Poultry Development Corporation, computerised system for milk procurement for dairy cooperatives and a pig farm at Kothattukulam would take place this month.

The proposed hyper markets at Thalassery, Ernakulam, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram would begin operations during the current year.

The computer network connecting consumer disputes redress fora would also start functioning during the year.

Mr. Divakaran said that the new breeding policy would be finalised and declared this month. A scheme for free insemination of cattle was also slated to be launched this month besides a programme for cultivation of fodder grasses on road sides.

He said the government had spent Rs.100 crore for market intervention during the past year. About three lakh tonnes of rice had been procured and Rs.161 crore released to farmers as payment this season.

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