State allots Rs 604 cr for rice supply to modified sugar cards

According to the GO, change in nature of ration card from sugar option card to rice card will result in additional procurement of 20,389.820 metric tonnes of rice per month which will result in state incurring additional expense of Rs 50.41 crore per month and Rs 604.96 crore per year.

Recently, the state government has announced that 10.19 lakh sugar option ration card holders can apply for rice cards and gave time for changing the nature of the cards till November 26. Later the time was extended for another three days and according to sources in Civil Supplies Department, only 4.5 lakh sugar option card holders have applied for the change to rice cards.

However, people having sugar option cards can approach the ration shops for change in the nature of cards and they will also be provided free rice. Already, the state government has announced Rs 1,000 for ration card holders expect the sugar option ration card holders as Pongal gift and allotted Rs 2,363.13 crore towards it.

Meanwhile, after addition of new rice cards the fund allocation of the state government for the Pongal gift is set to increase.