CHENNAI: State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Consumer Protection and Price Control, R Sakkarapani on Thursday informed the Assembly that 50 new direct paddy procurement centres will be established across the state.
Speaking on the discussion on the demands for grants for his department in Assembly, Sakkarapani said, 50 new direct paddy procurement stations will be set up in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Madurai, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Tenkasi, Theni, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur districts under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) at a cost of Rs.15 crore.
"At a cost of Rs.25.70 crore, 6 modern paddy storage facilities with rooftop structure of 18,000 MT capacity will be constructed with NABARD funding in Dindigul and Krishnagiri districts. 26 additional storage warehouses with a capacity of 28,250 MT will be constructed in 17 districts at a cost of Rs.60 crore for the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation to increase the capacity of the existing warehouses under the Public Distribution Scheme with the assistance of NABARD, " he said.
Addressing the shortage of toor dal and palm oil at fair price shops, the Minister said that steps have been taken to fully distribute toor dal and palm oil to all family card holders for the months of May and June.
The Minister further informed that the state government had continuously urging the Union Government to increase the quota of kerosene, which has been reduced to 1,084 kg litres, by pointing out the usage of the people in the hill stations including The Nilgiris and Valparai.
Meanwhile, the department's policy note disclosed that in the last one year (2023), 7,917 criminals involved in ration commodities smuggling were arrested and ration commodities worth Rs 4,09,53,212 have been confiscated.
"Civil Supplies – Crime Investigation Department has taken various measures to prevent smuggling and hoarding of Public Distribution Scheme commodities. 7,776 cases were registered in 2023 and 7,917 criminals involved in crimes have been arrested and 1,685 vehicles used for smuggling have been seized and 53 criminals have been remanded under The Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980," it added.