Centre yet to increase monthly allotment of Kerosene: TN

"The Union government from June 2011 has decreased the monthly allotment of kerosene to Tamil Nadu from 52,806 kilolitre to 44,580 kilolitre. In the last nine months, it has further reduced it to 39,429 kilo litres," an official release here said.

Despite the Chief Minister taking up the matter with the Prime Minister in person and also through letters to allot the entire 65,140 kilolitre to the state, "the Central Government did not increase the monthly allotment," it said.

This was among the points that were discussed in a review meeting here chaired by State Food Minister R Kamaraj.

The minister directed officials to keep adequate supply of raw rice, sugar, wheat, toor dhal, palmoil in all the State Cooperative Societies ahead of the coming Pongal festival.

There are 33,474 cooperative societies in the state supplying essential commodities to 1.84 crore ration card holders, it said.

The minister asked officials to ensure adequate storage of essential commodities before Jan 5 in the societies, it said.

Rice, being brought from Andhra Pradesh and Punjab, would be given to ration card holders "free", coinciding with the Pongal festival, it said, adding, steps have also been taken to provide toor dhal, moong dhal, palmoil, sugar, wheat at "subsidised rates".

The release said "monitoring zonal officers" have been appointed to ensure proper storage of essential commodities in the co-operative societies and to receive complaints from public.