The government proposed allocating Rs 3,173.11 crore towards distribution of rice at no cost for ration card-holders and those covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Food Minister R Kamaraj told the state Assembly.
Of the total Rs 4,900 crore food subsidy, Rs 1,006 crore was earmarked for Special Public Distribution System wherein essential commodities like dhal and edible oil are supplied at subsidised rates, he said.
With more households having employed couples, government has decided to revise the working schedule of fairprice shops in the state, Kamaraj said.
Further, bio-metric based ration card scheme, presently being implemented in Pudukottai district, will be expanded to Ariyalur, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore and Tiruvarur districts, he added.