Agartala, September 4 (TIWN): Above Poverty Line ( APL) ration card holders from this month - September 1st have to pay Rs 13 for per kg of rice. The state government increased Rs 2.65 per kilo. Price of wheat has increased for APL card holders, for every kilo Rs 3. From now on wards the price will be Rs 13 for per kilo of wheat.The reason for increasing the price of APL card holders only to give subsidy to Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders.The state government claim of giving subsidized rate rice to BPL and priority group is a hallow claim. The reality is APL card holders are bearing the subsidy indirectly for BPL and priority groups. The whole act was carried out by keeping the APL card holders in dark. The state government is indulged with all kind of irregularities in the name of Food Security Act (FSA). The government is acting smart to fool the APL card holders. In the name of subsidy, people of the state are mislead.The subsidy money is taken from APL card holder tactfully, in return Manik Sarkar government takes the credit. From any angle it cannot be termed as subsidy. Sarkar government after getting repeated threat from centre of stopping sending rice, at last from September 1st last FSA was introduced in the state. As a result, the centre will directly monitor the performance of all ration shops.The fact is no subsidy is given by Manik Sarkar’s government. The subsidy of Re 1 is given increasing the price of APL card holders. As per FSA, BPL card holders will get rice at subsidized rate of Rs 3, whereas the state is giving at Rs 2.

The Re 1 is taken from APL card holders by increasing the per kilo price of rice and wheat.

Whereas the  state government is purchasing rice for FCI at Rs 8.40 per kilo, the price becomes Rs 9.45 per kilo as it reaches ration shops. But government will charges Rs 13 per kilo from this month - September.