Agitation to protest poor PDS in Tripura

Agartala, Dec 13 (UNI) Both the ruling CPI(M) and Opposition Congress in Tripura have launched agitations to protest the alleged poor Public Distribution System (PDS) and rice scarcity in the state.

While the CPI(M) government accused the Centre, the Congress blamed the Left Front, alleging that corruption and poor governance by the ruling CPI(M) was responsible for the crisis, and announced to organise a hunger rally in North Tripura on December 16.

Congress Legislator Birajit Sinha said the party had held meetings with the victims' families yesterday and decided to hold a mass rally.

''Tribal people from 34 hamlets would participate in the rally where the PDS has collapsed during the past few months due to non-availability of rice,'' Mr Sinha said and alleged that despite allocation and support from the Centre, the rice did not reach the public due to corruption and mismanagement.

Meanwhile, the Left Front announced week long public demonstrations from today across the state to protest the alleged inadequate rice supply and accused the Centre of reducing Tripura's rice quota during the past few months.

''The Food Corporation of India (FCI) was supposed to supply 22 tonnes rice to Tripura every month for PDS but a month back, the FCI reduced the supply to 10 tonnes,'' state Food Minister Gopal Das said.

With the reduction of rice supply, the PDS was severely affected and despite sincere efforts, the department was unable to manage it, Mr Das said.

The state government as well as the MPs from Tripura had made repeated requests to the Centre to resume the supply as per the quota but nothing had been done so far, he alleged.

UNI