The Hindu : Front Page : Central assistance sought again for grocery sale through ration shops

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Sunday, Oct 10, 2010
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Central assistance sought again for grocery sale through ration shops

Special Correspondent

State wants Centre to bear 25% of the cost
Centre had earlier rejected the scheme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government has resubmitted its project for distribution of essential commodities through ration shops to the Centre for assistance and proposes to lobby for it strongly.

The project envisages distribution of 13 items, such as green gram, Bengal gram, split gram, coriander and chillies, through the ration shops in the State at subsidised rates. The State wants the Centre to bear 25 per cent of the cost of the Rs.337-crore project.

The Centre had earlier rejected the scheme at the official level, noting that it could not be part of the any existing programmes of the Central government. However, the State wants the Centre to treat it as a model project which can be emulated in other States.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran, who met Union Minister for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Sharad Pawar and Union Minister of State for Agriculture K.V. Thomas in Delhi earlier this week, impressed upon them to consider the project at the ministerial level. He has sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister seeking clearance for the project.

The State is also seeking clearance for new projects that cost Rs.611.24 crore. The main proposal is for funding of Rs.560.88 crore under the National Dairy Plan for enhancement of milk and cattle feed production in the State and development of ancillary industries.

The assistance for this is to be provided by the National Dairy Development Board under the plan.

Another scheme proposed is under the Idukki Special Package for promoting dairy development and mechanisation of the dairy sector, including milk storage and processing in the district. Establishment of medium dairy units, use of milking machines and generators and supply of milk-packing units to cooperative societies are envisaged under the project.

The State also wants Rs.17.43 crore for modernisation of the Maveli stores.

Dairy projects cleared

The Central has cleared six projects costing Rs. 21 crore for dairy development in the State.

Of this, Rs. 5.4 crore is for the modernisation of the Thiruvananthapuram Cooperative Milk Producers Union and Rs. 1.68 crore is for development of the Ernakulam Cooperative Milk Producers Union.

The Centre has also sanctioned Rs. 7 crore for development of the veterinary hospitals in the State. The other projects cleared by the Centre are for modernisation of Kerala Feeds Ltd., control of foot and mouth disease among cattle and computerisation of the Department of Animal Husbandry.

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