kerala-govt-refuses-to-install-selfie-points-at-ration-shops

The Kerala government has rejected the directive of the Centre to brand its ration shops under the centrally sponsored PM Garib Kalyan Yojana. It has also refused to install selfie points at the bigger shops with the images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared in the Assembly on Monday that the State would write to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, apprising them about the decision.

 

As per reports, the Central government has sent a similar directive to all the states.

 

It has been found that Kerala has nearly 15,000 ration shops and the bigger ones are over 500 in number.

 

According to a senior officer working in States food ministry, unofficially tried to justify the decision made by the state government.

 

The Yojana was introduced during the pandemic, which was extended to be concluded by December 31, 2023. From this year, states were supposed to shoulder their free-grain scheme.

 

Moreover, under the scheme, Centre was providing five kilogram of grains to those belonging to the BPL (below poverty line) category. This accounts for 43 per cent of the state’s population. The remaining 57 per cent gets subsidised food from aided by the state government.

 

The states were also directed to provide grains to customers with bags bearing PM Modi’s photo. These bags were designed to carry loads of up to 10 kg.

 

While these publicity materials were to be provided by the Centre. The state government had to bear the cost of supplying them to ration shops.

 

Since the Kerala government has refused to continue with the scheme, It will have to bear the entire expense of subsidised food.

 

The Centre has recently launched Bharat Rice at a subsidised price of Rs 29 per kilogram in Thrissur district. Reports claim that this is a move of the BJP government, eyeing the Lok Sabha polls.

 

Kerala government has also rejected to name its health centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, another directive of the Centre, claiming that this does not match with their cultural and linguistic those of the state.

 

State’s Life Mission project will also not be considered under PM Awas Yojana scheme, clarified the Kerala government.