Give rice at Re 1 per kg: Bhakta

Expressbuzz, Aug 31, 2009

BHUBANESWAR: Congress has demanded supply of rice at Re 1 a kilogram in backward districts of Orissa by the State Government as the Centre has increased subsidy from Rs 11 to Rs 13 a kg.


Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee working president and former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das said that since the State Government had failed to provide work to the people in the backward areas on demand, it should provide rice at much cheaper rate.

Das alleged that people in several areas of Kalahandi and Koraput districts do not have the monetary capacity to purchase rice at Rs 2 a kg, now provided by the State Government.

He said that rice is being provided at Rs 2 a kg when the Centre’s subsidy on each kg is Rs 11. The price should now be brought down to at least Re 1, he added.

The former Union minister welcomed opening of Central University at Koraput. He criticised the State Government for ignoring Congress leaders, including the MPs, at the inaugural function. He said that the people of Kalahandi district did not object to the establishment of the varsity at Koraput taking tribals’ interest into account.

The district is accessible from Koraput and Balangir, he said and added that people did not politicise the matter.

Alleging that people of backward districts were not getting work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), he demanded a mechanism by the State Government for 100 per cent implementation of the scheme.

Welcoming the Centre’s decision to extend the schedule time limit of the Revised Long-Term Action Plan, he said that it was the brainchild of Rajiv Gandhi and implemented by PV Narasimha Rao.