THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to limit the distribution of free food kits to families in the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, the high-priority category in the Public Distribution System. Besides, 20,000 kits will be distributed to the less-privileged inmates of welfare institutions.
As many as 6,07, 691 kits will be distributed. Of this 5,87,691 are families in the AAY category. The goods in the cloth kit are tea powder, green gram dal, Semiya payasam mix, ghee, cashew, coconut oil, sambar powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, green gram, toor dal and salt.
The government had spent Rs 500 crore for distributing kits to all the 90 plus lakh ration card holders last year. This time, the decision to limit kits to card holders in the high priority category is in the backdrop of the financial crisis. As per the Civil Supplies department, the spending would be Rs 30 crore if only AAY is included. If the next priority category, those in the Priority Household category are also included, the expense would have become Rs 200 crore.