The Hindu : Front Page : Rs. 2 a kg. rice scheme from April 7

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007
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Rs. 2 a kg. rice scheme from April 7

Special Correspondent

A. Ramanarayana Reddy

HYDERABAD: The Congress Government will implement the scheme for supplying rice at a subsidised price of Rs. 2 a kg from April 7 to coincide with Ugadi, Telugu New Year’s Day.

Accordingly, over 1.70 crore white cardholders will get rice at Rs. 2 a kg subject to a maximum of Rs 20 kg a month.

At present, rice is being supplied to the households living below the poverty line (BPL) at Rs 5.25 a kg.

Briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions on Monday, Information Minister A. Ramanarayan Reddy said the allocation for the scheme, which was expected to place an additional commitment of Rs. 1,200 crore on the State exchequer, would be made in the 2008-09 budget.

He said the Chief Minister would launch the fourth phase of land distribution involving 1.5 lakh acres, on January 19 in Chittoor district. The Cabinet had resolved to issue title deeds to the BPL families that had occupied cultivable lands belonging to the Government after waiving the proposed 50 per cent additional cost.

BC status

Touching upon the contentious issue of conferring Backward Class status on Kapus and 16 other sub-castes, the Cabinet decided to refer it to a special committee to study their socio-economic background.

It would be required to submit a report to the AP Commission for Backward Classes with the recommendation whether the Kapus should be included in the BC list.

The Cabinet also decided to set up an Indira Gandhi Centre for Advanced Research in Livestock at Pulivendula under private-public partnership at a cost of Rs. 386 crore and to amend the Act relating to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University to provide right of appeal to students and employees against decisions taken by higher officials.

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