District Collector R.V. Shajeevana flagging off the trucks with rice consignment to be stocked at the T.N. Civil Supplies Corporation go-downs in Theni district on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
For the first time in 12 years, rice procured from other States were on Saturday night directly hauled into the district by special rail-wagons, putting an end to the detour taken through Dindigul district to transport essential goods, including rice, from other States.
This was made possible with the recent completion of the broad gauge section in Theni district, said officials of the Railways and Civil Supplies Corporation. On Saturday night, the district received 1,326 metric tonnes of rice from Warangal through special rail-wagons. A total of 26,346 bags of rice reached the district directly from Warangal district in Telangana.
On Sunday, the rice bags were loaded onto trucks headed towards the Civil Supplies go-downs in Andipatti, Periakulam, Uthamapalayam, Bodinayakkanur and Theni, with Theni District Collector R.V. Shajeevana flagging off the transit of the rice bags.
Every year, Theni district receives 8,000 metric tonnes of rice from other States for distribution through ration shops as per the Central and State government schemes, officials said, adding that over 120 workers were engaged in the unloading and loading of the consignment.
Earlier, the State government had to spend exorbitantly for the transportation of essential goods from other States through Dindigul. The completion of the BG section has made the manoeuvring of goods easier.
District Revenue Officer R. Jayabharathi, Civil Supplies Corporation GM (Transport) Harikumar, Deputy Commercial Manager (Railway) Manivannan and Regional Manager (TNCSC) V Senthilkumar attended the event.