Supplyco demands immediate payment of Rs 200 from education department

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the finance department not disbursing even one-third of the outstanding subsidy of Rs 1525 crores, Supplyco has demanded immediate payment of the arrears of 200 crores of the education department. Minister G. R. Anil conveyed this demand to Minister V. Sivankutty.

This move comes at a time when the CPI is going to raise in LDF the neglect shown by the finance department to Supplyco. After taking rice from FCI, the expenditure incurred on distribution, transportation and handling to schools is 200 crores. The High Court is considering the matter of the education department not paying the amount spent for the mid-day meal scheme to the head teachers.

Supplyco had approached the government with a demand to increase the prices of 13 items of subsidized goods and 28 free sale products which are priced lower than the general market. Supplyco has not paid Rs 600 crores to the suppliers who have given the goods, so there are no goods in the shops. In this regard, Minister Anil has handed over the letter of Supplyco to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.