Tamil Nadu subsidizes rice prices to combat food inflation

The Tamil Nadu government has announced market intervention measures to combat rising food inflation. Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Venkataramanan stated that fine-variety rice will be sold at a subsidized rate of Rs 30 per kilogram through Amudham and cooperative stores. This initiative follows a surge in open market prices, which have reached between Rs 75 and Rs 85 per kg. The government plans to distribute an initial 25,000 metric tonnes of Grade A rice, alongside plans to supply tur dal at Rs 130 per kg and maintain onion prices at Rs 35 per kg.

In response to these economic pressures, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami criticized the state government's handling of commodity prices. He alleged that the rising costs of essential goods, including sugar and pulses, have disproportionately affected disadvantaged families. Palaniswami also raised concerns regarding water management, citing insufficient water release from the Mettur Dam for Samba paddy cultivation and the need for better coordination with Karnataka regarding Cauvery water rights.