Free rice scheme to BPL will resume from tomorrow

Puducherry, Aug 2 (UNI) The Puducherry administration will resume the free rice scheme with a provision only to the Below Povery Line (BPL) familes in the Union Territory, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said today.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the scheme, effective from July, would benefit 1.37 lakh BPL families (red colour ration card holders). The rice for the month of July could be purchased from ration shops from tomorrow till August 15 and for August from August 15 to 30.

When the scheme was first introduced, ten kg free rice was supplied every month with a provision to all the ration cards here.

The scheme could not be continued from April this year following objections from the Planning Commission.

The Chief Minister said Rs 2.8 crore had been allocated for the provision of assistance to the students under a scheme announced in the last budget and the money would probably be disbursed from August 10.

To a question on the filling of posts of chairpersons for boards and the corporations here, Mr Rangasamy said the posts would be filled at an appropriate time.

He said more than ten lakh devotees were expected to visit Thirunallar in Karaikal region for the Sanipeyerchi festival, which would begin in a couple of days.

Special arrangements were being made for the festival, he said and added that he would be inpsecting the arrangements.

Later, the Chief Minister left for Karaikal.

UNI