Kilimanoor block panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram has launched its own brand of rice. KMR Rice, which was officially launched in the local markets earlier this week, is the result of the block panchayat’s intervention in the agriculture sector. Kilimanoor block panchayat president BP Murali told The Hindu that the local body has set up a rice mill that processes paddy rice and cleans, dehuskers and packages the produce.
Paddy is sourced from farmers in the eight grama panchayats that come under the block panchayat. The rice mill has the capacity to process one ton of rice per day. The initiative is taken up under the Bhoomimithra Farmer Producer Organization under the auspices of the block panchayat and the Ministry of Agriculture.
subsidy of ₹70 crore
“On an average, a block panchayat receives about ₹9 crore annually from the Plan funds. We have drawn up plans to utilize these funds in such a way as to benefit the maximum number of people. The eight panchayats under the block produce some of the largest quantities of paddy in Thiruvananthapuram district. The block provides a total of ₹70 crore. When the subsidy to farmers is created, the subsidy to the farmers will increase. This situation led us to the idea of the mill for rice processing and private label,” says Mr. Murali.
KMR Rice is available in 1 kg, 2 kg, 5 kg and 10 kg packs. Kilimanoor Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank Limited provided 80 cents of land to the mill while the block office provided storage facilities.
Kilimanoor block panchayat also completed the first phase of construction of a housing complex for Scheduled Tribe families under the government’s LIFE housing project. 18 families were given the keys this week. A total of 51 families will receive apartments within the project.
Published – 07 Nov 2025 20:18 IST
