THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The allocation of Onam festival kits remains uncertain as the government grapples with the dilemma of which category of ration card holders should receive them.
The decision-making process has been delayed, awaiting the final decision from the Chief Minister, who will weigh the recommendations put forth by the food department regarding kit distribution. Due to prevailing financial constraints, the government has opted to reduce the supply of Onam kits as a cost-cutting measure.
Last year, the Onam kits were distributed to 45 lakh individuals. Initially, the government planned to provide kits solely to yellow card holders this year. However, the cabinet meeting convened yesterday failed to reach a conclusive verdict.
There have been suggestions to extend the distribution to pink card holders as well.
The Kerala State Food Safety department has made an appeal to the Chief Minister in this regard, and the final decision now rests with the Chief Minister. As a result, the Food Safety department anxiously awaits the outcome, determining if the kit will reach more people this year.
At the same time, there is a huge allegation against the Kerala state government’s negligence regarding the hiking of grocery prices during this Onam season.
Already, several media outlets, including Janam TV, have reported that the state government’s delay in handling the demand letter to Food Corporation of India, coupled with the scarcity of goods in Supplyco, has exacerbated the situation.
However, the Kerala State Food Department appears to be attempting to shift the blame to the central government, alleging that the allocation from the center is inadequate, while hiding its own mistakes in handling the situation.
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