Tamil Nadu plans to allocate Rs 4,900 crore towards food subsidy

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government today proposed to allocate Rs 4,900 crore towards food subsidy in 2013-14, with the major chunk going towards rice distribution programmes.

The government proposed allocating Rs 3,173.11 crore towards distribution of rice at no cost for ration card-holders and those covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Food Minister R Kamaraj told the state Assembly.

Of the total Rs 4,900 crore food subsidy, Rs 1,006 crore was earmarked for Special Public Distribution System wherein essential commodities like dhal and edible oil are supplied at subsidised rates, he said.

With more households having employed couples, government has decided to revise the working schedule of fairprice shops in the state, Kamaraj said.

Accordingly, the shops would now function on first and second Sundays and remain closed on first and second Fridays, the Minister said. Previously, they remained closed on all Sundays.

Further, bio-metric based ration card scheme, presently being implemented in Pudukottai district, will be expanded to Ariyalur, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore and Tiruvarur districts, he added.