NILGIRIS: The state food department on Wednesday launched a pilot project to distribute ragi (finger millet) through fair-price shops in the Nilgiris district, making it the first initiative of its kind.
Launching the scheme, Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani, Cooperation Minister M R Periyakaruppan and Tourism Minister K Ramachandran handed over two kilogrammes of ragi to each of the beneficiaries at a ration shop in Balakola.
“The millet is rich in nutrients such as calcium, iron and fibre, and these will help reduce the blood sugar level of diabetes patients. The project was commenced in Nilgiris district on a pilot basis, and it will be extended to other districts depending on the consumer preference,” Minister Sakkarapani told press persons.
Under the scheme, each cardholder is eligible for two kilogrammes of ragi instead of rice. Since the allocation of wheat will be adjusted towards ragi, the food department will not incur additional expenditure.
The additional chief secretary of Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection, J Radhakrishnan, said the monthly demand for ragi in the Nilgiris district is 400 metric tonnes which caters to 2.29 lakh cardholders.
“The state government currently holds a stock of 482 metric tonnes of high-quality ragi for the Nilgiris district,” he said.
Radhakrishnan added the pilot initiative will be introduced in Dharmapuri district as well. “The Union government has allocated 1,350 metric tonnes of ragi through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for both districts,” he added.
In January, the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), which is responsible for procuring goods for distribution under the PDS, established direct procurement centres (DPCs) in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts. However, only 221 metric tonnes (MT) of ragi were received, whereas the combined monthly requirement for the two districts is 1,360 MT. Consequently, the food department procured ragi from Karnataka via FCI.
According to data from the agriculture department, Tamil Nadu produced 2.56 lakh MT of ragi in 2018-19, 2.74 lakh MT in 2019-20, and 2.89 lakh MT in 2021-22. The major ragi-producing districts are Dharmapuri, Salem, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, and Tirupattur. The low procurement price of `35.78 is the primary reason for the lack of willingness among farmers, said members of the farmers association.