JOIN USFood and Civil Supplies Minister D N Jeevaraj on Thursday said ‘akki santhe’ (rice fair) would be organised across the State, including in Bangalore, to provide rice to people at affordable prices.
He said rice mill owners had come forward to provide the commonly used Sona Masuri variety - which now costs Rs about Rs 55 a kg - at Rs 37 per kg at the fairs.
The first such santhe will be inaugurated in Tumkur on Friday, he said.
The minister was replying to a question raised by Congress MLA N L Narendra Babu in the Assembly regarding the rise in prices of rice.
Rice mill owners organise the santhe in association with the Food and Civil Supplies department. A similar initiative was taken in 2009 when H Halappa was the Food and Civil Supplies minister.
Jeevaraj said the demand for organising ‘akki santhe’ had come from Gangavathi, Davangere, Dharwad and other places.
The department had recently imposed restrictions on stocking paddy and rice to prevent hoarding. The department’s move has helped bring down the price by about Rs five per kg, he said.
He blamed the Centre’s policy to allow export of rice from 2011 for the price rise. He said severe drought in many rice-cultivating states had affected rice production badly. The minister said he would look at the possibility of supplying ragi under the PDS.