Varathep assigned to clear confusion
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PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn is assigned to accumulate information related to the rice-pledging scheme from all government agencies, in the government's move to clarify confusing figures.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Monday that there is no a single set of information regarding to the loss incurred by the rice-pledging scheme, as each government agency holds its own set of information.
She noted that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong was earlier supposed to do that, but as he oversess the Finance Ministry which is responsible for the funding he preferred a neutral man.
Criticisms emerged when a report showed that the pledging scheme in the 2011-2012 harvest year could cost a loss of Bt260 billion. Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom tried to diffuse the criticisms, but he could not produce the exact loss figure.
Yingluck insisted that the scheme itself is beneficial for farmers and creates multiplied benefits to the overall economy. Yet, she said that the government welcomed all comments and the National Rice Policy Committee will come up with solutions for the next harvest years.
"I insist that the conflicting figures are sending no negative impact on the government. All the figures are there, but they need to be processed for mutual understanding. The Commerce Ministry is in charge of releasing stockpiles, while the Finance Ministry is in charge of financing. There is noone to compile the information," she said.
