Price rise cuts kerosene, sugar supply to PDS

The state government has drastically reduced the quantity of sugar and kerosene being supplied through the public distribution system (PDS) to white ration cardholders.
As the sugar price went up to Rs 45 per kilo in the open market, the civil supplies department decided to supply only half a kilo of sugar to each family as against one kilo at Rs 13.50.
The civil supplies department, which used to supply five kilos of sugar to the ration cardholders, had systematically reduced it to one kilo, that too, only for white cardholders. Now, it will further cut supply to half a kilo. In addition, only two litres of kerosene will be given to white cardholders in the villages. The department will supply four litres of kerosene in mandals and eight litres in urban areas.
The government had been supplying up to 10 litres of kerosene to white ration cardholders. The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, has given a nod for reducing the subsidy burden on the exchequer. Mr Rosaiah, who reviewed the civil supplies department’s progress, has given a nod to the officials for the reduction of the quantity of sugar and kerosene. The minister for civil supplies, Mr Jupalli Krishna Rao, defended the government saying that there wasn’t enough sugar.
According to him, the state requires 20,000 tonnes of sugar if the government wants to continue to supply a kilo. But, only 6,000 tonnes of sugar is being supplied to the state government by the Centre.
The Andhra Pradesh Ration Shop Dealers Association president, Mr Puste Babu Rao, alleged that the weakening of the public distribution system will create financial trouble for the thousands of dealers as they get a meagre margin.