NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu Government on Friday asked the NDA government to bear half the cost of implementing special public distribution system, which leaves a subsidy of `1,100 crore on the State government, and also demanded withdrawal of its decision allowing 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retailing in the interest of the public.
Speaking at the State Food Ministers Conference on rise in price of essential commodities here, Tamil Nadu Food Minister R Kamaraj said the State government was giving special public distribution system, by providing pulses and palmoelin oil to ration card holders and this was putting an extra burden of `1,100 crore on the State.
The meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to discuss amendment in Essential Commodities Act for stringent action against hoarders, common national market for select essential commodities and price stabilization fund for market intervention.
Asking the Central government to share the extra burden, Kamaraj said the guarantee of subsidised foodgrains with a particular subsidy should be provided for a period of at least 10 years instead of three years.
He also appealed to the NDA government to revisit the decision to pull back the levy sugar obligation on mills and the same should be restored.
Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Sanjay Das Burma sought seven months time from the central government to implement Food Security Act.