CPI charges Centre with neglecting Puducherry

Puducherry unit of CPI today charged the Centre with "ignoring" the union territory in the allocation of essential commodities including kerosene and rice.
Talking to reporters here, Secretary of Puducherry unit of the party R Viswanathan alleged that the Chief Minister N Rangasamy was also not taking up the issue with the Centre.
Viswanathan said the modification of the free rice scheme to distribute Rs 300 to each of the 3.37 lakh families instead of 10 kg of rice free of cost every month "is a step in the wrong direction and will only dislocate public distribution system". Workers in the PDS would also be thrown out of jobs, he said.

"The modification should be dropped and status quo ante should be continued", he said.
He said a two-day confernce of the party's state unit would be held here from February 13.
CPI national secretary D Raja and the Tamil Nadu unit secretary D Pandian would be among those who would address the conference, he said.