Food and Civil Supplies Minister R. Sakkarapani on Wednesday said ration card holders would soon get good quality rice soon, as the government had directed all 376 hulling agents to install colour-sorter machines, which would help improve rice quality.
Responding to Congress members S. Rajeshkumar, who complained about the poor quality boiled rice at ration shops in Kanniyakumari district, the Minister said the AIADMK government had procured 1,50,000 metric tonnes of rice. “When we visited 24 districts for inspection, people levelled similar complaints. IT minister Mano Thangaraj also brought it to my notice over the phone many times. We called for a meeting of hulling agents and asked them to fit colour-sorter machines,” the Minister explained.
He said the agents had sought time till September and the government had told them that it should be done before August 31. “We are also taking steps to fix colour-sorter machines in the 21 modern rice mills under our Department,” he said.
As regards another complaint of Mr. Rajeshkumar that five types of ration cards remained a problem particularly to the poor because of the classification, the Minister said the Chief Minister had already advised him to sort out the issue.
“We will take appropriate action,” he promised.
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