Deepavali: TN's vegetable, grocery packs selling fast, but Rs 30 rice faces flak

With essential commodity prices rising, the Tamil Nadu government has rolled out subsidised vegetable and grocery packs through cooperative stores ahead of Deepavali (Diwali). While the initiative has attracted shoppers, the government's Rs 30-a-kg rice scheme has come under scrutiny over the quality of rice being sold and its limited reach.

Rice costs between Rs 75 and Rs 100 a kg, while dal prices have crossed Rs 160. Opposition parties have strongly criticised the TVK-led government over rising prices during the festive season. In response, the government has introduced subsidised vegetable and grocery packs through cooperative stores. But are these measures providing genuine relief to consumers, or are they an attempt to blunt opposition criticism?

Also read: Festive retail momentum builds as malls eye Dhanteras-Diwali sales surge

Under the initiative, the government is selling subsidised packages through cooperative outlets under the name 'Vetri Special Vegetable Pack'. Each pack contains 10 varieties of vegetables and costs Rs 100. The packs are available at 218 cooperative outlets, as well as through mobile vegetable outlets in Chennai and other metropolitan cities.

For Deepavali, the government has also introduced a special Rs 200 grocery kit containing 10 essential items, including dals, chillies, garlic, tamarind and spices. According to official estimates, these items would cost between Rs 300 and Rs 350 in the open market. The kits are available at 128 cooperative stores, with an initial limit of one pack per person.

Government's response

Cooperation Minister V Gandhirajan told The Federal that mobile vans are now reaching densely populated urban neighbourhoods to make the subsidised packages accessible to more people.

Ahead of the Deepavali festival, the scheme has been introduced for three days at 218 state government cooperative stores, the minister said. He added that vegetables would be made available to everyone without any purchase restrictions. "Vegetable prices are increasing every day. To control prices and ensure people get vegetables at affordable rates, we planned to introduce this scheme," Gandhirajan said.

Consumer response

Many shoppers have opted for the subsidised packages at cooperative stores, with vegetable and grocery kits selling quickly.

Also read: TN govt rolls out Pongal cash gift of Rs 3,000 for rice ration card holders

One consumer welcomed the initiative, saying the vegetables were fresh and offered significant savings compared with open-market prices. "It is really happy to see such an initiative by the government. The vegetables are very fresh. The same vegetables would cost around Rs 300 in the open market, but at Amudham stores, we can buy the vegetables we need for just Rs 100," the consumer said.

Rice scheme

The government's Rs 30-a-kg rice scheme, however, presents a different picture. With the price of fine rice in the open market rising to Rs 75–Rs 100 a kg, the government is offering 25,000 tonnes of rice through 201 cooperative stores and 49 Amudham, state-run retail outlets.

Each buyer is allowed to purchase up to five kilos. However, several buyers have questioned the quality of the rice, saying it looks similar to the variety already distributed through ration shops.

Also read: Why rising fine rice prices are fueling retail inflation in Tamil Nadu

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has alleged that polished ration rice is being sold as fine-quality rice. The Leader of the Opposition in Assembly has also questioned the scheme's accessibility, claiming that the rice is available at only around 250 locations for Tamil Nadu's 2.28 crore ration cardholders. The government has not publicly acknowledged these allegations.

While the vegetable and grocery packages are selling out quickly, the rice bags are not witnessing the same level of demand.