Shame that ration rice is still smuggled from Tamil Nadu: PMK

CHENNAI: Referring to the recent letter of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu that ration rice from Tamil Nadu is smuggled to Andhra Pradesh, PMK Chief S Ramadoss on Wednesday said that it is a shame for Tamil Nadu that still ration rice is smuggled even after the introduction of biometric authentication system in public distribution system (PDS).

"Fingerprints have been made mandatory for getting rice and essential commodities in ration shops by the State government. Even after making fingerprints compulsory if rice is still smuggled out of Tamil Nadu it shows that there is a huge lacuna in PDS," said Ramadoss, in a statement.

He also urged the State government to tighten the district and borders and to prevent the smuggling of rice through the porous borders of the State to ensure that the subsidised rice provided to the downtrodden reach them without any problem.

Recently, Chandrababu Naidu, former chief minister, wrote a letter to Chief Minister MK Stalin claiming that ration rice is smuggled from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh and is sold at higher price after polishing them. Ramadoss said that Chandrababu Naidu pointing out the sorry state of affairs of PDS is a shame on Tamil Nadu.

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