3,504 direct procurement centres to be opened in Tamil Nadu this year, says Minister Sakkarapani

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has set a target to procure 58 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this year, he says

Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection, and Price Control R. Sakkarapani said on Saturday that 3,504 direct procurement centres (DPCs) will be opened across the State to procure paddy this year.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, through videoconferencing, laid the foundation for two Public Distribution System (PDS) warehouses, each with a capacity to store 1,000 metric tonnes, at Kolli Hills in Namakkal on Saturday. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani and Minister of Forests M. Mathiventhan participated in the function at Namakkal.

Minister Sakkarapani told the reporters the Chief Minister laid the foundation for warehouses in 12 taluks at a cost of ₹ 54 crore. Similarly, to safeguard paddy from rain, the State government had sanctioned ₹ 238.07 crore to construct semi-warehouses with a capacity to store 2.86 lakh metric tonnes.

On Saturday, the Chief Minister inaugurated 106 semi-warehouses at a cost of ₹ 105.08 crore, with a capacity to store 1.42 lakh metric tonnes in the first phase, Mr. Sakkarapani added.

Stating that new ration cards would be provided quickly, Minister Sakkarapani said that after the DMK came to power, the Chief Minister announced that ration cards would be issued within 15 days after applying for a card. Accordingly, 14 lakh people have been given new ration cards. The Chief Minister has approved opening of 3,504 DPCs in Tamil Nadu this year. A target has been set to procure 58 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this year. Last year, 43 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were procured. The Chief Minister has ordered that the products, including rice, pulses, sugar, etc., provided to ration card holders through fair price shops should be of good quality. Based on that, the district-level committees were inspecting the items supplied from warehouses to fair price shops.

Stating that iris-based authentication would be implemented across the State, Minister Sakkarapani said that fair-price shops were so far offering products through biometric authentication. In addition to this, iris-based authentication system was implemented from Saturday at Chepauk in Chennai and in Perambalur district. A government order to this effect would be issued soon, and ration products would be issued through biometric and iris-based authentication in fair-price shops across Tamil Nadu, the Minister added.