The Hindu : New Delhi News : K.V. Thomas to review PDS

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K.V. Thomas to review PDS

J Balaji

Chief Minister, Cabinet colleagues to attend programme

Proposal to provide pulses, through ration shops
Scheme to be implemented in Ernakulam initially

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs K.V. Thomas will review the functioning of the Public Distribution System (PDS) of Kerala at a meeting in Thiruvalla on Saturday. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his Cabinet colleagues will attend the meeting.

The review will also go through the functioning of non-PDS activities and consider the proposal to distribute pulses, chillies and spices on a monthly basis through ration shops to all cardholders. The newly elected Congress-led United Democratic Front government in the State wants to implement the scheme as a pilot project in Ernakulam district in association with the Central government.

The State government and the Centre will share the expenditure for the scheme on a 3:1 basis. The Centre's share in this pilot project will be Rs.88.46 crore and Kerala's contribution will be Rs.265.39 crore. The State Civil Supplies Corporations and the State Consumers Marketing Federation will play a more effective marketing and trading role in making available commodities such as pulses, edible oils and onions, which are not allocated under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and which witness seasonal variations at reasonable prices at the time of sudden increase/spurt in prices of such non-PDS commodities.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister T.M. Jacob, Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan, and senior officials of the Union Food Ministry and the State government are expected to participate in the programme.

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