Latest news with #RSakkarapani
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
TN asks Centre to release Rs 2,670 crore in pending dues
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has requested the union government to release pending dues amounting to Rs 2,670.64 crore. These dues relate to expenses incurred by the state for paddy procurement, rice fortification, and subsidies for ragi and sugar. Of the roughly 2.25 crore ration cards in Tamil Nadu, the cost of supplying rice through the Public Distribution System (PDS) to 1.12 crore cards (covering 3.6 crore beneficiaries) is fully borne by the centre under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Of the total outstanding dues of Rs 2,670.64 crore, a sum of Rs 2,181.88 crore has been carried over from the financial years 2016-17 to 2020-21. Additionally, Rs 431.55 crore is pending as subsidy for ration cards that were migrated within Tamil Nadu during the same period. In relation to the supply of fortified rice, the state government incurred an expenditure of Rs 244.06 crore, of which the centre has released only Rs 197.26 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 46.80 crore. Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani submitted a memorandum on this matter to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, on Wednesday. According to official sources, the centre disburses funds to the state at regular intervals under various heads, including procurement, milling, and distribution of rice through the PDS. These disbursals are based on claims submitted via the online portal
New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
TNCSC delays Rs 600 crore paddy procurement payment to favour private entity: Farmers
MADURAI: Tamil Nadu Farmers Association president P R Pandian on Thursday said the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has not paid the farmers yet for procuring Rs 600-crore-worth paddy two months ago. He accused Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R Sakkarapani of acting in favour of Arisi Koottamaippu — a private company through which the TNCSC has been procuring commodities from farmers in eight southern districts, except Madurai. During a press briefing in Madurai on Thursday, Pandian said the association would stage a black-flag protest against the minister, who has been deputed by the DMK to carry out election-related works in the region, unless the TNCSC pays the pending amount to the farmers in 10 days. 'Instead of making efforts to pay the farmers, Minister Sakkarapani allegedly attempted to safeguard the Arisi Kuttamaippu, which is owned by one Amrudeen Sheik Dawood,' he claimed. Further, Pandian said the TNCSC, which has been directly procuring paddy from the farmers since 1975, signed an agreement with said private company after the DMK came to power. As per policy, farmers must be paid within 48 hours of procurement, however, they have not been paid even after two months, he added. Responding to the allegations, Minister R Sakkarapani refused to make any comments to TNIE, saying he was unaware of Pandian's speech.
