Activists have urged the government to procure ragi and other millets from local farmers for supply under the public distribution scheme (PDS).
The government issued a G.O. for the distribution of ragi to family card holders in two districts in the State on a pilot basis. According to the G.O. issued by Food Secretary J. Radhakrishnan, two kilos of ragi will be provided to each family cardholder in lieu of rice at their own will. The ragi will be priced at ₹2 per kilo. Ananthoo of the Safe Food Alliance, who welcomed the distribution of ragi, said that many farmers in districts including Dharmapuri and Salem were finding it difficult to find a market for their millet produce. It would do well for the government to procure locally and supply it as part of the PDS, he said. He added that it should be given in addition to rice and not in lieu of rice. “It is the onus of the government to ensure millets reach the poor, who are dependent on the PDS for their nutritional needs,” he added. A retired official of the Civil Supplies department explained that the cooperatives could buy from Large Area Multi Purpose Cooperative Societies that had farmers growing millets and minor forest products such as samai, lemon grass oil and kalpaasi. These societies have tribals as members and have been established in Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, he added. Giving another view point, S. Saroja, Executive director, Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group, suggested that the pilot could also be extended to perhaps one city so as to be able to compare consumption of ragi between rural and urban areas. Over the last decade awareness about millets is on the rise among the urban populace, she said, and added that including one more area would help the government decide the next step in supply of ragi.
