More foodgrains will be given to flood-hit Uttarakhand: Thomas

Food Minister K V Thomas today said more foodgrains will be allocated to flood-hit Uttarakhand to provide relief to affected people.

"We have enough stock of foodgrains in our godowns. We are taking measures to allocate more quantity of foodgrains to flood-affected Uttarakhand," Thomas told PTI.

Flash floods, cloudbursts and subsequent land slips in Uttarakhand have claimed over a hundred lives and left thousands of pilgrims for Himalayan shrines stranded.

About 1,000 tonnes each of wheat and rice at the economic cost has already been allocated especially to pilgrims on chardham yatra -- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamnotri, the minister said.

That apart, additional 79,620 tonnes of rice at the minimum support price (MSP) has been allocated to the state on June 13 to families living above poverty line (APL), he added.

"We will provide whatever additional quantity of foodgrains required for distribution to flood-affected people in the state," Thomas said.

The situation created by the heavy rains and floods in the state was discussed at the Congress Core Group meeting this morning.

As on June 1, the government has 77.6 million tonnes of rice and wheat stocks in the FCI godowns, which is more than double the actual requirement.