NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday asked Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to increase Kerala’s share of rice or at least restore the earlier quota - 16.25 metric tonnes. The state is now getting 14.25 lakh tonnes annually.
After the meeting, Paswan tweeted a photo of him standing with Pinarayi. But he termed the Kerala CM as O Paneerselvam. However, Pinarayi took the episode lightheartedly. Pinarayi asked the Centre to extend the rice procurement period for three months. Having rolled out the National Food Security Act in November 2016, Kerala needs higher allocation from the Centre.
“Kerala CM has placed several demands in front of us. One is increasing foodgrain allocation under NFSA,” Paswan told reporters. Pinarayi also demanded more subsidy as the state wanted to give subsidised sugar under the PDS. At present, subsidised sugar is supplied only to BPL families. The state has also asked for paraboiled rice and additional foodgrain allocation of about 50,000 tonnes per month to meet the demand of 10-15 lakh migrant workers in the state. It has also sought Central support to make extra payment to state-run FCI labourers.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here Monday his government is planning to hold another all-party meeting to resolve the BJP-RSS violence in Kannur.
“We had called an all-party meet earlier to ensure peace. We are planning to convene one such meeting again,” he said.
In Delhi to fulfil a wish list from the Centre, Vijayan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed Kerala’s ration issue and other pending projects, including the airports and an AIIMS.
While trying to play down the protests over the Kannur killings, Vijayan said the RSS too must refrain from political violence in the state before campaigning against it at the national level. “If the RSS is campaigning against violent politics, it must also refrain from all sorts of violent politics. The government does not support any kind of violence. We are taking necessary steps to maintain peace,” he said.
On a two-day visit to Delhi, Vijayan made light of the BJP’s threat to impose President’s rule in Kerala. He said a lot has changed in the country since the state government was dismissed in 1959 by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. “Such threats will not affect us. The state government was once dismissed in 1959. Since then, a lot has changed. The BJP needs to understand that,’’ said Vijayan.
His statement came following Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu last week warning the LDF Government of “serious consequences” if it continued to “unleash political violence” on its rivals.