The Hindu : Front Page : State seeks more rice, sugar for Onam

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Saturday, Jul 12, 2008
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State seeks more rice, sugar for Onam

J. Balaji

C. Divakaran says Centre has promised to consider the request.

NEW DELHI: Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran met Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar here on Friday and sought a special one-time allocation of 75,000 tonnes of rice and 50,000 tonnes of sugar for Onam.

He complained that the Centre had reduced the rice quota of the State by 96,000 tonnes per month, in the last three months, despite the UPA government’s claim of having enough stock of foodgrains.

He also handed over a letter from Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to Mr. Pawar.

The letter reportedly said that the Centre was not doing enough to meet the shortage of essential commodities in Kerala.

Mr. Divakaran presented a memorandum to Mr. Pawar seeking the Centre’s approval for the implementation of 10 projects, worth Rs.60 crore, for increasing the production of egg, meat and cattle feed in the State.

He also wanted that the interest on loans provided by scheduled banks to dairy farmers to be on a par with those given to agriculturists.

The Minister also met Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora and sought a special allotment of Kerosene for Onam season. He also sought more domestic LPG distribution agencies in the State to meet the growing demand for LPG connections.

Talking to presspersons later, Mr. Divakaran said both Mr. Pawar and Mr. Deora had promised to consider the State’s request.

With regard to poultry development, he said the State would start poultry clubs in high schools this year wherein the students of classes eight and nine would be encouraged to take up poultry farming.

He said the government would open special Onam bazars in Thiruvananathapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Kollam and Thrissur and 100 small and medium towns to provide essential commodities at reasonable prices. The shops would start functioning from August 15, he added.

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