New Delhi: Kerala has sought special permission from the Centre to use the rice produced within the state for school mid-day meal programme. The state requires more than 66,000 tonnes of rice annually for the lunch scheme. This is offered completely free of cost by the centre.

The demand is to allow the use of rice produced in the state instead of what is supplied from FCI godowns. This also means that instead of rice, the centre will have to give Rs 184 crore (Rs 28 per kg) worth of funds to Kerala to carry out the scheme.

The state’s argument is that the amount spent by the centre in procuring rice from other states should be given to Kerala instead. This is believed to be helpful in helping paddy cultivators in the state and will also prevent the surplus rice procured by the state from perishing. The state government has sent a petition with this demand to the centre. On Tuesday, state civil supplies minister G.R Anil will meet his union counterpart to discuss the same.

Kerala produces 4.5 lakh tonnes of rice in a year of which 3.5 lakh tonnes are distributed through ration shops. The state has recommended using this surplus rice for the mid-day meal scheme to avoid perishing and wastage of such stock.