THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed to exclude cream biscuits from the state government's Onam kit. It has been estimated that the inclusion of biscuit in 90 lakh kits will create an additional liability of Rs 22 crore to the state government. Seeing this as an additional burden, the chief minister rejected the proposal of the food department.

The total expense of the Onam kit is Rs 592 crore. By excluding cream biscuits, it would be reduced to Rs 570 crore. With the chief minister rejecting the proposal of cream biscuits, it has been ensured that the government will distribute kits including 16 items for Onam this year.

As this is the first Onam since the second Pinarayi government came to power, Food Minister G R Anil proposed chocolate, an item for children in the special food kit. As the chocolate would melt in the midst of a month-long distribution process, cream biscuit was included. The cream biscuit of a top company costing Rs 30 per packet offered to supply for Rs 22.