Misuse of PDS rice still a concern in Tamil Nadu poll

TRICHY: 'Rice politics', which dominated poll manifestoes of DMK and AIADMK, resulting in even regime changes in the past elections, seems to have lost steam now as nothing more can be expected of this staple when 20 kg of it is provided free of cost to every ration card-holding family in the state.
Still, rice has once again taken centre stage in the political discourse in the state, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment at a public meeting in Nagercoil on Sunday that despite his government providing 27 per kg of rice as subsidy, the Centre was not putting stickers with his face on ration rice.He was apparently alluding to many state government-sponsored welfare schemes reaching the people in Tamil Nadu with chief minister J Jayalalithaa's photograph on the cover.
It was rice politics - promise to supply 3kg rice for 1 - that ensured a decisive victory for the rainbow alliance led by the DMK in 1967 against the mighty Congress. Later, in 2006, DMK returned to power with the promise of supplying ration rice at 2 per kg. The rate was further slashed to 1 per kg.
Tamil Nadu has been following a universal public distribution system, in variance with the Centre's targeted food subsidy plan aimed below the poverty line only. Analysts say voters in the state are developing an aversion towards freebies as expectations, especially among the youth, have moved on to more pressing issues like development, infrastructure and jobs. Time is up for competitive populism as people have started viewing it with scepticism, said M Kasinathan, a political analyst. 1967 onwards, there was a gradual decrease in the announcement of freebies in poll manifestoes, he said, adding that over the decades, the price of ration rice was also increased several times. The trend was finally reversed in 2006, said Kasinathan.
"But now the state has reached a saturation point in supply of rice, because it is given free," said analyst Gnani Sankaran.
Nevertheless, misuse of TN's public distribution system is a matter of concern. Many shops buy ration rice from consumers at 3-5 per kg and sell it in the open market in neighbouring states at a higher price. There are instances of bulk diversion of ration rice to other states.