CHENNAI: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) likely to announce the general election dates by the third week of March, the BJP-led central government’s plans to utilise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s perceived popularity as a poll plank is unlikely to be materialised in Tamil Nadu.
The state government, which has already declined permission for the display of banners featuring Modi’s portrait at ration shops, has also refused to accede to the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) request to install ‘selfie points’ featuring cutouts of the PM at the locations.
Moreover, the FCI’s proposal to distribute rice packets bearing Modi’s picture has also been put on hold.
Official sources confirmed that the FCI had sent a letter to the state outlining the specifications for setting up the selfie points in December 2023 and is yet to receive any response.
“Initially there were indications that the state might allow selfie points at select locations. However, we have not received any response yet,” said a central government official.
Sources within the state’s food and cooperation departments told TNIE that the centre’s request to display banners at ration shops has remained denied since last year.
“We have not accepted the proposal for selfie points either,” said an official, noting that when the state had distributed Pongal gift bags in 2022, the Chief Minister’s likeness was not printed on them.
There are 35,323 ration shops across Tamil Nadu, serving 2.23 crore family ration cards, of which 1.12 crore are priority cards meant for impoverished populations.
PM not a mere politician, but head of the state: BJP
The priority cards — 18.64 lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana cards and 93.36 lakh Priority Household cards—serve a 3.64 crore people, who are also covered under the National Food Security Act since June 2013.
The central government bears the expense for providing free rice to the 1.12 crore priority cards, a monthly supply of 1.9 lakh metric tonnes. The provision of free rice under NFSA was renamed the PMGKAY in November 2023, prompting the centre to insist on the display of the Prime Minister’s image at ration shops.
PMGKAY was originally launched in March 2020 to provide a free supply of grain during lockdown, but was discontinued in January 2023.
On the other hand, the state government provides free rice to over one crore ration cards. It procures 84,000 tonnes of rice through Tide Over Allocation from the centre at a rate of Rs 8.30/kg, and an additional 65,000 MT for non-priority cardholders and TN’s Integrated Nutrition Programme at a cost of Rs 35.5/kg.
Narayanan Thirupathy, spokesperson for TN BJP, termed the state government’s decision as politically motivated.
“The government has also rejected the Department of Energy’s proposal to install selfie points, despite 60% of power projects being funded by the centre. The PM should not be perceived as a mere political leader, but the head of the state,” he added.
