Thiruvanathapuram, March 21: Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan welcomed the high court order to set aside the Eelection Commission decision to restrain the state government from extending rice at Rs.2 per kg to fresh beneficiaries.
In a statement here today, Achuthanandan said Opposition leader Oommen Chandy should apologise to people for trying to scuttle the scheme.
The Election Commission in a letter to Chief Minister had mentioned that the Commission also took into consideration the recent statement of Chandy against the implementation of the scheme while banning the scheme, Achuthanandan pointed out.
Centre had not so far implemented the rice at Rs.3 per kg programme announced two years back. But, the state decided to extend the scheme of providing rice at Rs.2 per kg to both APL and BPL categories of people in the society, he said.
CPI-M State Secretary Pinarayi Vijyan said high court order was a 'slap' on the face of congress led UDF Opposition in the state.
Vijayan wondered how UDF could oppose such a people oriented welfare scheme. PTI
