Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 27 (PTI) Kerala Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob on Monday said the department and Supplyco have completed the final phase of preparations for the harvest festival Onam, with free kits, special rice distribution, market intervention measures and fairs planned to ensure the availability of essential commodities at affordable prices.
As part of the state government’s 100-day programme, the department has achieved a record by approving 73,024 new priority ration cards out of 76,338 online applications received, he said while speaking at a meet-the-press programme here.
Free ration distribution to the new beneficiaries will begin from August 3, and Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the scheme, he said.
Of the remaining applications, 1,353 were returned for want of documents and 2,011 were rejected, the minister said, adding that the government has also shared ward-wise lists of potential beneficiaries with local bodies to identify more eligible applicants.
Regarding the elaborate preparations for the upcoming Onam festival, Jacob said that the government has earmarked 1,65,932 metric tonne of rice and 24,506 metric tonne of wheat.
Special rice distribution for non-priority (blue card) ration card holders will begin next month. They will get three kg of rice at Rs 10.90 per kg and two kg of wheat at Rs 8.70 per kg.
The government has sanctioned Rs 53 crore for the distribution of 6,09,305 free Onam kits to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (yellow card) beneficiaries and inmates of welfare institutions, he said.
Distribution of the 16-item kits, estimated to cost Rs 854 each, including a cloth bag, will commence on August 10 and will be completed by August 25.
As part of market intervention, Supplyco will organise Onam Mega Trade Fairs in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode from August 8 to 25, district-level fairs in 11 districts from August 16 to 25, and Onam markets in 126 Assembly constituencies.
The auspicious “Thiruonam” falls on August 26 this year.
The minister said the government has so far allocated Rs 448.05 crore to the Food and Civil Supplies Department during its first two months in office.
The amount includes Rs 273 crore for market intervention, including the free Onam kit scheme, Rs 154.79 crore as paddy procurement bonus and Rs 20.26 crore towards transportation charges.
The previous government had allocated Rs 700 crore to the department during the entire 2025-26 financial year, Jacob added. PTI LGK KH
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