NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, FEB 19
Andhra Pradesh Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) met Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday and discussed issues related to civil supplies.
Speaking to media here on Tuesday, Kodali Nani said that he had requested the Union Minster to release the arrears of Rs 4,000 crore from Food Corporation of India to the state. He said the Union Minister was asked to permit to increase the space in FCI godowns in order to store the more paddy procured from the farmers. “Central government has recognized only 92 lakh rice cards and we have requested to recognize 1.3 crore rice cards in the state” he said.
The state government has relaxed the guidelines to issue rice cards to more number of beneficiaries. After issuing fee reimbursement cards and Aarogyasri health cards, nearly 9 lakh rice card beneficiaries have come forward voluntarily to surrender their rice cards, he said.
