Chennai sources have stated that Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has currently approved supply of 4,900 tonnes of free rice to some 3,000 mosques in the state during the fasting month of Ramzan starting later this month. The mosques will use the rice to make gruel.
Sources have stated that the Tamilnadu government will spend Rs 12.60 crore to supply free rice, the state government said in a statement. The scheme, well-received by Muslims, was started by late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha. Subsequently, more people had asked the government for free rice this year too.
Presently Mr. Palaniswami has directed officials to approve supply of free
rice to mosques, and asked district collectors to verify documents, the Tamil
Nadu government said in the statement.
The AIADMK's mouthpiece "Dr Namadhu MGR" in 2015 had said a Pakistani television channel had welcomed the scheme and suggested the free-rice scheme should be implemented in Pakistan too.
