States holding rice to face penalty: EGoM

States that do not adhere to their delivery commitment to the central rice pool could face a pro-rata cut in the allocations, the EGoM decided on August 5. “Allocation to states, which do not meet their committed obligations to the central pool, may be properly reduced,” says the EGoM proceedings. While Chattisgarh has retained 6.93 lakh tonne of rice for use in state welfare schemes, AP and Orissa are keeping back 4 lakh and 2 lakh tonne respectivelyto push their scheme of providing rice to below poverty line families at Rs 2 per kg. Kerala too has not fulfilled its agreement holding back 86,000 tonne.