Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

More funds for subsidy, paddy procurement

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Out of the Rs.112.50 crore proposed to be earmarked for the food security programme, the bulk would go for paddy procurement and provision of ration subsidy.

Under the agreement between the CPI(M) and the CPI over the issue, the government would allocate Rs.30 crore additionally for paddy procurement and Rs.50 crore for provision of ration subsidy. The Kerala State Cooperative Consumers’ Federation would get Rs.20 crore. Besides these, Rs.8 crore would be allocated for crop insurance and Rs.4.50 crore for providing interest-free loans.

The two parties agreed that the group farming committees must have a prominent role in the implementation of the food security programme. However, there would still be criticism that the financials of the agreement did not show any massive additional mobilisation of resources for the programme. The government would have to address this problem when formulating the production plan under the food security programme.

The following are the current year’s allocations proposed to be brought under the ambit of the food security programme:

Agriculture: Food crop management Rs.36.80 crore, soil and water conservation Rs.23.67 crore, procurement and distribution Rs.12.50 crore, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (including allocation for last year) Rs.210 crore and additional Central assistance Rs.10 crore.

Animal Husbandry: Animal husbandry Rs.19 crore and dairy development Rs.6 crore. Fisheries Rs.3.25 crore. Cooperation Rs.3.25 crore.

Water Resources: Minor irrigation Rs.64.55 crore and command area development Rs.5.93 crore.

Local Self-Government: National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Rs.210 crore, Plan fund Rs.400 crore and Kudumbashree Rs. 20 crore.

Planning: Special programmes Rs. 18 crore.

Civil Supplies: Paddy procurement Rs.20 crore, ration subsidy Rs.100 crore, Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation Rs.30 crore and interest-free loan Rs.5.50 crore.

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