'Food dept to purchase ragi from farmers'

Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said that the department will purchase ragi from farmers through the purchase centres and will distribute the grain in fair price shops under public distribution system.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, he said that there are no compulsions on the farmers to supply ragi to the purchasing centres. However, they can bring the grain to the centre when there is a fall in the prices. Rs 2,200 has been fixed as the price per kilo of ragi at the purchasing centres.

The grain will be procured by the Food and Civil Supplies Department and will be distributed to the regions where ragi is used as staple food. People will be provided with two-kilo ragi every month, said the minister.

About 1.25 lakh applications for new ration cards were rejected for furnishing wrong information. The revenue inspectors of the respective regions have been asked to conduct a survey to cross-check the correct addresses of applicants, Khader added.