Muslim Groups Urge Action on Rising Rice Prices
Deccan ChronicleVijayawada: The Muslim United Front and Muslim Welfare Joint Action Committee have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, and civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar to address the escalating rice prices in the open market. Kaleem noted that social media speculation about a potential 'Cash for Grains' scheme, involving direct benefit transfers for ration cardholders, has created significant insecurity among the poor and lower middle classes. He deplored the poor quality of PDS rice, which often compels beneficiaries to sell it to millers and hoteliers for monetary gains.Highlighting the stark increase in rice prices from Rs 16 per kg in the early 2000s to Rs 50– Rs 60 now, Kaleem advocated for a national mechanism to provide good-quality rice at subsidised rates. He criticised the Bharat Rice initiative, sold at Rs 29 per kg via limited outlets, for its poor quality and inefficacy.Kaleem proposed that instead of cash transfers, the government should collaborate with rice millers to supply better-quality rice to PDS beneficiaries.
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AP procured 3.10 crore metric tonnes of paddy from 32.78 lakh farmers, says Karumuri
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