Reject Shanta Kumar panel recommendations on Food Corporation restructuring: Karuna

DMK president M Karunanidhi today urged the Centre to reject the recommendations of Shanta Kumar Committee on restructuring of the Food Corporation of India, claiming they would lead to closure of the Public Distribution System (PDS).

"I urge the BJP government to reject the Shanta Kumar panel recommendations as they would pave the way for the complete closure of PDS," he said in a statement here.

Claiming that the Centre had decided to substantially cut subsidies for fertilisers and petroleum products, he said the Centre was now considering a similar measure for food subsidies.

He asked the Centre to implement the National Food Security Act by ensuring that the middle class and poor people are protected.

If the Shanta Kumar panel's recommendations were implemented, rice allocation for Tamil Nadu will decline to 14.8 lakh tonne. In such a situation, Tamil Nadu Government will have to spend more for rice subsidy, he said.

"Centre is ignoring (the point) that such measures will affect farmers, middle classes and the poor... As per the committee's recommendations, Tamil Nadu government should spend Rs 1,000 crore additionally on providing rice through PDS annually," he added.

He noted that parties like the Communists and the PMK have strongly opposed the recommendations of the panel, he added.