Thiruvananthapuram 27-08-2011: Chief Minister said here today that the Government had plans to introduce permanent monitoring system to control the prices of essential commodities in the State. He was speaking at the inaugural function of the scheme to give 25 kg rice to BPL families for Re 1 per kg at the Santhigiri Asramam in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The scheme has been launched under the 100 days’ programme of the State Government. The Government’s efforts to arrest price hike during the festival season has proved effective and steps will be taken in that line to control the prices, the Chief Minister said. Steps are on to make services from the government offices simple and time bound, he said. The Chief Minister inaugurated the distribution of the Onam kit to the BPL, AAY families free of cost at the function.

Earlier Defence Minister A K Antony inaugurated the `poverty-free Kerala’ Scheme of the State Government at the function..

Delivering his presidential address Food and Civil supplies Minister T M Jacob warned traders against the black marketing of essential commodities. Transport Minister V S Sivakumar inaugurated the scheme to distribute rice to school Children at the function.