BHUBANESWAR, OCT 1: The Odisha government will start distributing ration cards to beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA) in as many as 14 districts of the State from tomorrow.
According to official sources, the new ration cards have already reached the districts for distribution to 1.29 crore beneficiaries under the Central scheme. The beneficiaries will get ration at subsidised price from November 1, 2015.
Earlier, the State government had decided to provide subsidised rice at Re one per kilo to Poor Left Out (PLO) beneficiaries till November 30, 2015.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ealier directed the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department to continue supply of cheap rice to PLO families till implementation of NFSA across the State.
As many as 6,23,426 poor families, who were deprived of BPL cards in 1997 and identified as poor left outs, had been provided rice at the rate of Re 1 per kilo in the State since 2008, officials said adding that the State government has to bear an additional expenditure of Rs 35 crore for providing cheap rice to the PLO families.
NFSA will be implemented from December 1, 2015 in the second phase. A total of 3.26 crore people of the State’s total population of 4.11 crore have been identified as the beneficiaries under the Central scheme.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the progress of the work for implementing NFSA in the State.
