Millet distribution in PDS shops in 2 dists from today

COIMBATORE: Distribution of finger millet (ragi) will commence in ration shops in The Nilgiris and Dharmapuri on a pilot basis on Wednesday, said J Radhakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary, Food, Cooperation and Consumer Protection.

Speaking to reporters in The Nilgiris on Tuesday following an inspection in PDS outlets and godowns of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, Radhakrishnan said that 2.29 lakh cardholders in The Nilgiris will benefit out of the project, which aims to prevent anemia.

“The Union government has allotted 1,350 metric tonnes of ragi through the Food Corporation of India. Also, the project will be expanded to other districts by procuring required quantities of finger millet from Karnataka,” he said.

On a mission towards taking Tamil Nadu towards adopting nutritious food protection schemes, Radhakrishnan said all millets will gradually be distributed in the PDS outlets.

“For this, ragi will be harvested more. Direct procurement centres have been established in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. More centres will be opened through agriculture departments in other millet cultivating districts,” he said.

Radhakrishnan was accompanied by District Collector SP Amrith and other officials of the revenue department. Earlier, he visited the potato auctioning centre in Mettupalayam near Coimbatore.