Central Government’s Fortified Rice Supply Scheme is an imminent danger to rice mills of the Kangayam area.
Coimbatore: The newly appointed DMK Environmental Wing leader Karthikeya Sivasenapathy has come down hard on Central Government’s Fortified Rice Supply Scheme and has termed it an imminent danger to rice mills of the Kangayam area.
The central government has introduced a plan to distribute Fortified rice across the country for the next three years from 2019-20. Pointing out the shortcomings in the project, the DMK State Environment Secretary Kangayam Karthikeya Sivasenapathy has issued the following statement.
“The Central Government plans to provide Fortified rice on a trial basis to the people under the public distribution scheme in each of the 15 selected states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, for the next three years from 2019-20. The Central Government says the plan is to eliminate protein deficiency in women, elderly and children. However, the BJP-ruled northern states where Wheat is the staple food are prone to protein deficiency more than people eating rice. If that is the case why the Central Government is turning attention to rice without starting this program from wheat."
He added, "Many Small, marginal and large scale rice mills are still operating in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu and around Kangayam. Due to the favorable climate and environment of the Kangayam region, Kangayam leads in the rice processing industry with rice coming from various parts of Tamil Nadu and also neighboring states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The rice mill industry has been one of the most important industries in the Kangayam region, turning ordinary people into entrepreneurs. This has given employment to many people in this area."
He also said, "The current Fortified Rice Supply Scheme is a step towards handing over the industry to Ambani and Adani. Small and Medium rice mill owners cannot afford such a high cost and investment for processing fortified rice. This situation is very similar to the order to produce only Iodine based Salt. Many of the small and micro enterprises who used to make salt on the coast today have disappeared."
He reminded that, "Today the whole of salt production has gone to corporate entities. Such a similar situation should not come to rice mills. Our Chief Minister Mr. Edappadi Palanisamy has remained silent without making any protest or statement about this project. Even as data available with the Central Government, more people in North India suffer due to protein deficiency than people in Tamil Nadu. Hence the Central Government should focus on the fortifying wheat rather than rice. Therefore, the Chief Minister must stop this law before getting it implemented without destroying the main business of the Kangayam, which operates more than 300 rice mills, and depriving it of the livelihood of the thousands of workers who depend on it."
The central government has introduced a plan to distribute Fortified rice across the country for the next three years from 2019-20. Pointing out the shortcomings in the project, the DMK State Environment Secretary Kangayam Karthikeya Sivasenapathy has issued the following statement.
“The Central Government plans to provide Fortified rice on a trial basis to the people under the public distribution scheme in each of the 15 selected states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, for the next three years from 2019-20. The Central Government says the plan is to eliminate protein deficiency in women, elderly and children. However, the BJP-ruled northern states where Wheat is the staple food are prone to protein deficiency more than people eating rice. If that is the case why the Central Government is turning attention to rice without starting this program from wheat."
He added, "Many Small, marginal and large scale rice mills are still operating in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu and around Kangayam. Due to the favorable climate and environment of the Kangayam region, Kangayam leads in the rice processing industry with rice coming from various parts of Tamil Nadu and also neighboring states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The rice mill industry has been one of the most important industries in the Kangayam region, turning ordinary people into entrepreneurs. This has given employment to many people in this area."
He also said, "The current Fortified Rice Supply Scheme is a step towards handing over the industry to Ambani and Adani. Small and Medium rice mill owners cannot afford such a high cost and investment for processing fortified rice. This situation is very similar to the order to produce only Iodine based Salt. Many of the small and micro enterprises who used to make salt on the coast today have disappeared."
He reminded that, "Today the whole of salt production has gone to corporate entities. Such a similar situation should not come to rice mills. Our Chief Minister Mr. Edappadi Palanisamy has remained silent without making any protest or statement about this project. Even as data available with the Central Government, more people in North India suffer due to protein deficiency than people in Tamil Nadu. Hence the Central Government should focus on the fortifying wheat rather than rice. Therefore, the Chief Minister must stop this law before getting it implemented without destroying the main business of the Kangayam, which operates more than 300 rice mills, and depriving it of the livelihood of the thousands of workers who depend on it."