TN’s rights ceded in Food Security Act, says PMK

Stating that the implementation of the Act would entail an additional subsidy burden of Rs 1,200 crore on the state’s finances, he said talks should be held with the Centre to amend the legislation in favour of Tamil Nadu. “Though the state has announced that it will ensure that people are not affected due to the implementation of NFSA, the state’s rights have been ceded by agreeing to implement it,” he alleged. Recalling Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s opposition to the Act, Ramadoss said that the CM had written to then PM Manmohan Singh in 2011 and incumbent Narendra Modi later over the issue. “Centre did not accept any of the representations of Tamil Nadu. Under the present circumstances, by agreeing to the NFSA, the state has surrendered to the Central government,” he charged. The PMK leader said a key feature of the Food Act was the replacement of food grain supply through direct subsidy disbursal in the next few years. If this was implemented, all PDS outlets and Direct Paddy Procurement Centres would have to be shut down, he said.