Puducherry modifies rice scheme: Cash to be transferred to accounts

PUDUCHERRY: Modifying its 'free rice scheme', Puducherry government today decided to transfer Rs 300 to bank accounts of each of 3.37 lakh families in Puducherry and Karaikal every month instead of supplying 10 kg rice through ration shops.

Announcing this, Chief Minister N Rangasamy told reporters here that the modified scheme would come into effect retrospectively from October last.

It would cost the exchequer a monthly expenditure of Rs nine crore for disbursing the amount through bank accounts. Residents of Mahe and Yanam would, however, continue to get the ten kilo rice free of cost every month, he said here on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of his party AINRC's formation.

Rangasamy renewed the plea for statehood for Puducherry, saying he would apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the matter.

"I will persuade the Prime Minister to concede the demand of Puducherry for statehood so that the state government would be able to take decisions on various matters without delay and implement them expeditiously," he said.

He said he would leave for Delhi later to participate in a NITI Aayog meeting convened by the Prime Minister with Chief Ministers of all states tomorrow.