The State government will deliver 5,450 tonnes of raw rice to 2,895 mosques across the State by April 19 for the Ramzan feast and the mosques will distribute the rice directly among beneficiaries at their homes, Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam said.
The Chief Secretary held a meeting with Muslim leaders and the Chief Kazi Salahuddin Mohammed Ayub at the Secretariat to work out modalities of rice distribution and the Ramzan feast traditionally held at mosques.
Following the meeting, Mr. Shanmugam said the government will ensure that the raw rice will reach the mosques by April 19, and the mosques will distribute the rice in small packets to the doorsteps of the beneficiaries.
The government held meetings with various Muslim organisations as well in the past two days. During the interaction with the representatives of the organisations, some put forth the view that the mosques will prepare rice gruel and distribute it to the beneficiaries.
“We explained to them that this would require movement of vessels, rice gruel every day to the beneficiaries’ homes. This would require movement of volunteers every day and increase the chances of contracting the disease. Hence, we requested them to provide rice to beneficiaries once at their doorsteps,” he said.
It was accepted by everyone and the decision was unanimous. The Muslim organisations can take the help of volunteers to deliver the rice at the doorstep and complete the process by April 22, Mr. Shanmugam added.
