THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government's intervention came as a relief amid complaints of non-arrival of subsidized goods in SupplyCo just days before the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The government has sanctioned Rs 185.64 crore to the State Civil Supplies Corporation for distribution of ration.

The amount was allocated for hiring vehicles and handling expenses for delivering the ration goods for distribution. The central government allocation of the required amount to distribute these has not been made available even after nine months. In this situation, the government decided to give the entire amount allocated in the budget for one year to the corporation.

The intervention of the state government comes in the context of defaulting the entire amount to be allocated by the central government in connection with the distribution of rations under the National Food Security Act.

Meantime, officials said that the subsidized goods will not reach the Supplyco outlets but will reach the Christmas and New Year fair organized from December 21st to 30th at the district headquarters. The famine that started before Onam continuing during Christmas time is a double blow for the common man. Customers coming to Supplyco stores are returning disappointed. Verbal abuse is also common in some places.

The employees also are not sure when asked when will the stock arrive. The people have to depend on private selling establishments and super markets etc. for goods that should be available at a low price, paying more than double the price. A liter of coconut oil will be sold at Rs 141 at the Christmas fair as there is no half liter packet. Half a liter of this is cash subsidy. There are no subsidized products such as sugar, pea, peanuts, uzhunnu, green gram, red chillies, shallots, pachari, atta etc. Only green dal, and sambar dal are available in some SupplyCo outlets.