Thomas ‘trying’ to meet TN cm on food billl

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Union food minister K.V. Thomas said he was ‘trying to meet’ TN chief minister J. Jayalalithaa to sort out the differences over the implementation of the Food Security Bill.

Sharing the achievements of the food ministry at the all India editors conference here on Saturday, Mr Thomas said he would have a discussion with the TN chief minister to know her government’s misgivings on the proposed bill.

He said while the TN government follows universal PDS to supply rice for all cardholders, the Union ministry recommends targeted PDS under the new bill to provide 35 kg for people living below the poverty line and lesser amount of grain for those living above the poverty line. “I am trying to meet Jayalalithaa to sort out differences on the bill.

I am meeting West Bengal CM Mamta Baneerjee on March 2 on the same issue,” he said. The minister said many states suggested supply of cash instead of foodgrain under the Food Security Bill.

“We want to provide nutritious food for the needy. We will buy grain from farmers and provide them to poor people.

We have eliminated two crore bogus ration cards in the last two years with the advent of computerisation of the civil supplies department,” Mr Thomas said.

He added that arrangements were being made to improve the infrastructure of ration stores to store goods on the same premises.