New ration cards by January next

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 18. Close to 70 lakh households in Kerala would get new ration cards by January next.

The Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. G. Karthikeyan, told the Assembly during question hour today that printing of new cards and the affidavits to be submitted by persons seeking ration cards is in progress. The State now has 63,34,221 cardholders. The number is likely to touch 70 lakhs when the new cards are issued, he added.

Mr. Karthikeyan said the Government does not propose to conduct door-to-door enumeration to identify cardholders for want of time and other practical difficulties. Families that do not currently hold ration cards should approach Supply Offices and apply for new cards.

The Minister told the House in reply to a supplementary question that the Centre has agreed to restore Kerala's monthly quota of kerosene.

Population norm

The Chief Minister, Mr. A. K. Antony, told the House in reply to a set of questions that the reported decision of the Planning Commission to change the population criteria for allocation of Plan funds to the State during the 10th Plan would hurt Kerala's interests.

At present, Plan funds are being allotted with 1971 as the base year. The proposal now is to make the present population the point of reference. This would hurt the interests of not just Kerala, but other southern States as well. The State Planning Board would discuss the issue in detail and try to enlist the support of other similarly placed States to fight against the Central move, he said.

Mr. Antony said the draft Approach Paper on the 10th Plan received by the State in May does not contain any proposal for changing the population criteria.

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Section  : Southern States
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