Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Anoop Jacob has said that the State would seek increased rice allocation from the Centre to hold the price line in view of the festival season.
Speaking to media persons who met him on the sidelines of the party’s State Committee meeting here on Sunday, Mr. Jacob said there were attempts from certain quarters to jack up the price of rice under the pretext of the ripple effect of the recent hike in freight rates by Railways.
Such attempts would be stoutly countered and the State would need an additional 50,000 tones rice to meet the demand during the ensuing festival season, the Minister said.
The issue would be taken up with Centre during his visit to New Delhi starting Monday, he said.
Reacting to a question, he said the main challenge faced by the UDF was that issues which should be discussed at the appropriate forum were being aired through the media.
‘No reshuffle’There has not been any discussion regarding a Cabinet reshuffle at the UDF forums so far. There has not been any discussion regarding a change in portfolio either. “I don’t think there would be any reshuffle that would affect coalition partners,” he said reacting to another question.
He said the comments being made by his party chairman Johny Nelloor were with good intentions and there was no need to dub them as a result of disunity within the party.
Out of the 14,300 ration shops in the State only less than a 100 were sanctioned during his tenure, Mr Jacob pointed out when asked about the alleged corruption in according sanction for ration shops.
Whenever allegations were raised, they were looked into and action initiated, he added.
Onam fair from July 24The Minister said that Onam fairs would commence operations from July 24.
The Chief Minister would inaugurate the State-level Onam fairs in Thriuvananthapuram.
There will be metro fairs and onam fairs at the district, taluk and constituent assembly level, Mr. Jacob said.
