Quality rice for Samurdhi recipients
 

UDITHA Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: The Government, through the Department of Commissioner General of Samurdhi has implemented a special programme to provide locally produced quality rice to Samurdhi beneficiary families for their Samurdhi goods stamp.

This decision has been reached following a discussion between President Mahinda Rajapakse and Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, a Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

The Department has already implemented this programme in 111 Divisional Secretariat divisions countrywide. Samurdhi beneficiaries will able to purchase rice monthly with effect from January this year based on the value of the Samurdhi goods stamp issued for them, he said.

There is a 71,000 Metric tons of rice stock in Government stores. This rice stock has been produced by milling the paddy purchased from farmers by the Government during the previous Yala season.

The Department of the Commissioner General of Samurdhi has pledged to provide this 71,000 Metric tons of rice stock to Samurdhi beneficiaries through Co-operative Societies.

"The monthly Samurdhi programme needs 14,000 Metric tons of rice to be distributed among Samurdhi recipients. Arrangements have been made to cater this demand utilising the rice stocks at Food Department and also milling the paddy stocks purchased by the Divisional Secretaries using Government funds. The rice will be purchased from the nearest rice centres," he said.

A total of 168,000 Metric tons of local rice stock is needed for the consumption of Samurdhi beneficiaries this year.

Minister Wanniarachchi has issued guidelines and a circular to District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries for purchasing more rice stocks for this programme, he added.