Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan informed that the free distribution of 5 kg rice for non-priority card holders in flood affected areas will be extended to the month of December. Earlier, it covered only the months of September and October.

In a Facebook post, CM Pinarayi said that priority card holders have been receiving rice and other grains for free. Members of weaker or backward sections of the society in the flood affected areas have also been receiving food kits for free, Pinarayi added.

The kits - which are being provided by Supplyco - contain 6 items, including rice, which costs a total of Rs 500. Priority ration card holders, workers registered in the employee schemes offered by the state, widows and those who are differently-abled will benefit out of this scheme, according to a manorama report. 

For distributing free rice to the affected, the state government has asked the Centre to issue free food grains to the flood-affected. The centre, on its part, has sent over 80,000 tonnes of rice to be sent to the flood-affected areas. However, the rice will not be completely free and will be charged at Rs 25 per kilo.

In the month of August, Kerala witnessed the worst floods in a century with over 490 people losing their lives and the material losses in the state crossing Rs 25,000 crores. The main cause of the floods was the opening of the 35 dams in the state as rivers started overflowing due to the heavy rains. Two months later, the state is now slowly rebuilding itself after the calamity with the state government mobilising funds to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund to help the flood victims.