BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to include another 2,02,809 people under its food security scheme.A highest number of 38,034 beneficiaries will get the benefit of subsidised rice at `1 a kg under the scheme in Ganjam followed by 14,354 in Mayurbhanj and 13,804 in Balangir district.Releasing a list of district-wise beneficiaries, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department has written to all Collectors to cover these people under the State food security programme.
Launching its own State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, 2018, the Government had announced to extend the benefit of the subsidised rice to over 18 lakh poor and eligible people left out under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). They have been provided a monthly quota of 5 kg rice at the rate of Rs 1 per kg.
The State had earlier decided to provide cheap rice to a total of 25 lakh beneficiaries of 6.7 lakh families. While 18.32 lakh people were listed in the scheme to avail the cheap rice from October 2, 2018, the balance 6.68 lakh were to be added in phases. The Government had decided to launch its own food security scheme after the Centre did not respond to its request to add additional 25 lakh poor people under the NFSA, they said.
The Government maintained that the number of eligible families has increased during the last five years. As many as 12,048 new beneficiaries of the tribal dominated Sundargarh district have been identified for inclusion. Koraput and Keonjhar districts will extend the benefit to 8,612 and 8,134 people respectively while only 352 people identified in Deogarh.
District-wise list
38,034 beneficiaries in Ganjam
14,354 Mayurbhanj
13,804 Balangir
12,048 Sundargarh
8,612 Koraput