CM Bommai gives nod for distribution of parboiled rice to Coastal K’taka region

Bengaluru: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai gave a nod to the distribution of parboiled rice to the ration card holders of Coastal Karnataka under the Public Distribution System.

On Thursday, September 15, a delegation led by Dakshina Kannada and BJP State President MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, State Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, Vice President of State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, Kiran Kumar Kodgi, and BJP State Vice President Nirmal Kumar Surana met CM Bommai.

Speaking to the media, Kateel said, “CM Bommai has agreed to purchase locally grown paddy from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts by paying MSP under the market intervention scheme. Following the Kerala Model, the parboiled rice obtained from the procured paddy will be distributed to the people of Coastal Karnataka at the fair price shops”.

“In terms of distribution of rice, around 50 percent of rice distributed in the coastal region is parboiled rice. To date, the parboiled rice was procured from the warehouse of the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Under the new initiative, the market intervention scheme, this will not be the case, as the rice will be procured from the locally grown paddy by paying the MSP. We have initiated this scheme to maintain the quality, which was absent in the earlier procurement process”, he added.

Meanwhile, he said that CM Bommai has agreed to release Rs. 299.33 crores towards the procurement of paddy and distribution of parboiled rice.

This will benefit 6,21,804 ration card holders, said Kateel.