10th November 2012 10:10 AM
Ref: http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article1335149.ece
APL ration card holders will start getting rice subsidy through banks from January 1, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Friday. The subsidy will be at the rate of Rs 6.90 per kg.
“Those who submit their bank account numbers by March 31, 2013, will be paid the subsidy with retrospective effect from January 1,” Chandy told a post-Cabinet briefing here.
Existing bank accounts can be used for claiming the subsidy and a zero balance account can be opened if the beneficiary does not have a bank account.
For BPL card holders, the subsidised rice- up to 25 kg- at Re 1 per kg, will be sold using a system of smart cards and biometric enrolment.
“This facility will come into effect from January 1, 2014. By then, the 14,000-plus ration shops in the state are expected to become automated,” he said.
“The government is also planning to introduce a GPS-based system to monitor the transportation of rice to ration shops,” he said.
All three decisions are part of the government’s initiative to bring in reforms to ensure transparency in the PDS.
“The government is spending Rs 700 crore a year on subsidising rice supply to the BPL and APL categories.
“Still, the price of rice in the open market is soaring, which means that the subsidy is not reaching the people. The government has the duty to ensure that it does,” Chandy said.
As part of ridding the Public Distribution System of corruption, the government will ensure a system where the rice will be directly collected from the rice mills by the Supplyco.
Of this 62,000 tonnes will be used for the noon meal scheme and the rest will go into the Public Distribution System pool.
