Picture for representational purpose only. / Deccan Chronicle
Nellore:
Decentralisation of rice procurement through rice millers has begun in SPSR Nellore district to supply the rice produced in the district through public distribution system as part of recently launched ‘Mana Biyyam’ (our rice) scheme.
Hitherto millers used to supply the rice procured from farmers to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Civil Supplies department has been obtaining the same for PDS from FCI.
District administration has earmarked godown fac-ility to store 1,20,000 metric tonnes during the current harvest season. The monthly requirement for PDS is around 1,200 to 1,300 MTs for Mana Biyyam scheme and the authorities will have 10 months buffer at any given point of time.
Rice that was being sold at Rs 25-a-kg in the open market would be supplied at 1kg to the white ration cardholders under the scheme. It may be mentioned here that Nellore district is one among the eight districts in the state chosen for introducing Mana Biyyam scheme.
According to joint collector B. Lakshmikantam, rice millers have already supplied 14,000 MTs of rice as on date to the Civil Supplies department. The rice will be distributed through PDS for cardholders and to schools and hostels for midday meal. Reacting to a question on storage facility, Mr Lakshmikantam said that the newly-built godown to store 30,000 MTs of rice at Chandrasekhara Puram in Kodavalur mandal is ready for inauguration. Simila-rly, another godown to store 8,000 MTs at Vedaya-palem in Nellore town is also ready for opening.
He said that the Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy would open these storage points during his ensuing Indiramma Baata programme in the district.
Office bearer of Rice Millers Association Y. Ran-gaiah Naidu said that Civil Supplies department would procure only raw rice (common and grade A variety) and they would give boiled rice to FCI for export to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal among other states that prefer boiled rice. FCI would also export boiled rice to countries like Bangladesh, he added.
source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC, March 05th, 2013