Decision to stop PMGAY behind price rise of rice: Kerala to Centre

Kerala also asked Centre to review the move to compulsorily distribute fortified rice through all fair price shops, citing that indigenous rice varieties in the State were rich in minerals

The Kerala government urged the Centre to reinstate the allocation of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana (PMGAY), as the Centre’s decision to stop the scheme was resulting in price rise of rice in the State. Kerala also asked the Centre to review the move to compulsorily distribute fortified rice through all fair price shops, citing that indigenous rice varieties in the State were rich in minerals.

The issues came up during a meeting which Kerala Food Minister G. R. Anil had with the Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal here on Wednesday. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Anil said that since the adoption of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, by the State in 2016, there had been a shortage of 1.65 lakh Mt of rice when compared to the allotment before the implementation of the NFSA.

“Being a consumer State, Kerala depends on other States, and the tide over the allotment is not sufficient to cater to the needs of non-priority category which comes to 56% of the population i.e. 1,94,61,433 people,” Mr. Anil said.

He criticised the Centre’s decision that only fortified rice would be distributed through the public distribution outlets across the country. “The chambavari rice, an indigenous rice product of Kerala contains iron, folic acid and several vitamins. The State’s stand is that chambavari should not be fortified. The Centre has not accepted our demand yet,” Mr. Anil said. He said Kerala was ready to supply custom-milled rice (CMR) produced in Kerala, after fortification through the PDS if the Centre bore the cost of fortifying the rice.

It was noteworthy that out of 56 mills in the State, only one was with an automated Fortified Rice Kernels blending facility, Mr. Anil said, and requested Mr. Goyal to take necessary steps either to exempt the CMR from fortification procedure or to allow the Central finance assistance for the same so that the State could achieve the directed targets within the time limit.