PANAJI
Fish-curry-rice, the staple of Goans, will be made available at nominal prices at all canteens in government premises like Ravindra Bhavans among others from October 1, according to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The plan will start getting implemented from September 1 through self-help groups (SHGs) and by October 1 all government canteens will be allocated to these SHGs, Sawant said.
He was replying in the Goa legislative Assembly to the private members resolution moved on Friday jointly by Goa Forward Party's (GFP) Vijai Sardesai and Congress' Carlos Alvares-Ferreira.
Both Sardesai and Ferreira had sought through their resolution that the government formulate a policy by which fish curry and rice be provided through SHGs to Goans at subsidised rates.
They cited the steep price-rise situation of essential commodities and fish in the State to justify their demand.
Meanwhile, Sawant also assured the House that a cold chain storage system will be put in place within a year to ensure that fish is made available to Goans at affordable rates.
The chief minister claimed that poverty is not of much concern in Goa and yet 50,000 poor (BPL) families were being provided rice free of cost and APL families were getting it at Rs 12 per kilo. Also, families with under-5 years of age children were also getting pulses and rice free of cost, he added.
