Food Corporation of India (FCI) reiterating its position of not providing more food grains to States under its Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).
Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) is negotiating with the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and other States to procure the additional quantity of 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes a month.
The monthly allocation by the Centre to Tamil Nadu is approximately 2.97 lakh tonnes of rice for the public distribution system (PDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
Over and above this quantity, the State requires, on an average, 50,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes per month.
TN has over 2.2 crore rice-drawing ration cards.
Between December 2022 and March 2023, it bought 3 lakh tonnes from the NCCF.
During the Kharif Marketing Season 2022-23, 7 lakh tonnes were retained by the State for local requirements.
At present, the State has a stock of 5.4 lakh tonnes of rice at its godowns.
Besides, around 1.9 lakh tonnes are available with millers and this quantity will eventually be available for the PDS.