Centre has given assurance on price of rice: Karuna
10 Sept 2013 4:44 AM IST
Joining issue with his arch-rival and chief minister J Jayalalithaa on price of rice in the Food Security Bill, DMK president M Karunanidhi on Sunday said the Centre had given an assurance in this regard not only in Parliament, but the Union Cabinet has also accepted them.
He said minister of state for food K V Thomas had written to him on 5 September, 2013 saying a proviso had been added in the Act for protecting the differential in cases where states were receiving lesser foodgrains under the Act than the current allocation.
Quoting from Thomas’ letter, Karunanidhi said ‘tide-over allocation’ would be at the issue price as applicable to Above Poverty Line (APL) category under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)--Rs 6.10 per kg for wheat and Rs 8.30 kg for rice.
‘The Union Food Minister (Thomas) has given assurance in Parliament which has been recorded in the proceedings. It has been accepted in the Union Cabinet also. Central Minister himself has written to me. What else guarantee does Jayalalithaa expect’ Karunanidhi said in a detailed statement.
The minister was answerable to an Assurances Committee over assurances made in Parliament, he added.
The 90-year-old leader said any assurances made by Ministers in Parliament or Assembly have to be implemented and wondered how it was fair for the chief minister to announce that she will not accept this.
Jayalalithaa had on Saturday rubbished Karunanidhi’s claim that Tamil Nadu would continue to get rice for APL category at Rs 8.30, and alleged that UPA’s idea was to provide rice at old price ‘for a few months for an eyewash’ and then change it.
He said minister of state for food K V Thomas had written to him on 5 September, 2013 saying a proviso had been added in the Act for protecting the differential in cases where states were receiving lesser foodgrains under the Act than the current allocation.
Quoting from Thomas’ letter, Karunanidhi said ‘tide-over allocation’ would be at the issue price as applicable to Above Poverty Line (APL) category under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)--Rs 6.10 per kg for wheat and Rs 8.30 kg for rice.
‘The Union Food Minister (Thomas) has given assurance in Parliament which has been recorded in the proceedings. It has been accepted in the Union Cabinet also. Central Minister himself has written to me. What else guarantee does Jayalalithaa expect’ Karunanidhi said in a detailed statement.
The minister was answerable to an Assurances Committee over assurances made in Parliament, he added.
The 90-year-old leader said any assurances made by Ministers in Parliament or Assembly have to be implemented and wondered how it was fair for the chief minister to announce that she will not accept this.
Jayalalithaa had on Saturday rubbished Karunanidhi’s claim that Tamil Nadu would continue to get rice for APL category at Rs 8.30, and alleged that UPA’s idea was to provide rice at old price ‘for a few months for an eyewash’ and then change it.
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