Thiruvananthapuram, Wednesday, September 01, 2010: Food and Civil Supplies Minister C Divakaran today told that State government would call for an all party meeting for discussing the Supreme Court order preventing distribution of ration rice for the APL consumers in the State. Minister added that the only 15 percent wheat was being produced in the State.

Speaking to the reporters in Thiruvananthapuram today, Minister affirmed that the as far as Kerala was concerned, restriction of PDS was not practical and that the Centre must take appropriate action in this issue. Divakaran added that the State’s demand was to provide free ration rice for the BPL consumers and to provide rice for the APL consumers at Rs 8.90.

Earlier report: -

Reacting to apex court verdict, Divakaran said Centre should file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the present order. As far as Kerala was concerned, restriction of PDS was not practical, Divakaran said. Meanwhile, CPM State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said that restriction of PDS would adversely affect Kerala.

In a statement, Pinarayi said Centre should take steps to exclude Kerala from the purview of the order as statutory rationing was in force in the state.

It was also condemnable that Centre failed to distribute the food grains to poor people to prevent it from rotting in godowns two months back, Pinarayi said. However, Pinarayi said apex court directive to distribute foodgrains at a free of cost to poor people was a welcome move.