Thiruvananthapuram: The state government plans to introduce an alternative to the central government’s ‘Bharat rice’. The food and civil supplies department has started thinking about the alternative of providing rice under the Kerala government brand. Minister G.R Anil has given instructions to the director of civil supplies, Supplyco Managing director and the secretary of the food department to submit a detailed report within a week. 

The idea is to provide this alternative rice to white and blue ration card holders who do not have sufficient rice allocation. White raw rice is distributed under the label of ‘Bharat rice’. But Malayali’s prefer Jaya, Matta and Kuruva rice. Thus, plans are in line to procure Jaya rice at lower rates from other states like Andhra Pradesh. This will then be branded and packaged. The food department suspects that legal issues might be involved in selling this through ration shops. Hence, the plan is to sell the state government’s rice brand through Supplyco outlets.

The state government offers rice to blue and white ration card holders at Rs 10.90 per kg, albeit in lesser quantities. Subsidised rice is also sold at Rs 23, 24, 25 through Supplyco. Kerala used to get the rice for this by buying surplus rice from FCI through open market sales scheme. But recently, the centre has discontinued this programme. With this, the state government has complained that Kerala is selling rice at Rs 10.90 and Rs 25 as Bharat rice.