Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced a new food security scheme for the poor. To be implemented in the state from October 2, it will cover nearly 34.44 lakh people left out under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
During ‘Ama Mukhyamantri Ama Katha’ (Our Chief Minister, Our Issues) programme, the Chief Minister said, “My government has always given importance to the food security of the poor. We have been providing rice at Rs 2 per kg since 2008. The success of the programme prompted the decision to launch rice at Re 1 per kg for people living below poverty line in 2013. This was a big step towards food security in the country.”
He said lakhs of poor were deprived of benefits under NFSA as the ration was being provided as per the 2011 census.
“Once the new Act is implemented on Gandhi Jayanti, not a single poor here will be deprived of his rights,” he added.
Notably, the Chief Minister had taken up the issue of left-out beneficiaries with the Centre in the past, but no step was taken to address this concern.
On May 23, 2018, Naveen had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying. “In 2011 Census data, the rate of growth of population of Odisha was 14 per cent in the last decade. In 2018, the population of Odisha has increased by 10.22 per cent as compared to 2011. It is estimated that the total population of Odisha in 2018 would be 4,62,63, 983. Allowing the same percentage of coverage as was decided when the Act came into force, we are entitled to cover 3,60,85,907 beneficiaries under the NFSA Act.”
Additional 34.44 lakh beneficiaries may be sanctioned for the state to ensure food security to all eligible persons to serve the objective of the Act, he had requested the PM.
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