Ranchi, Sept 25: Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Friday launched the Food Security Act, which aims to provide subsidised food grains to around 80 percent of the state’s population.
The act, which was in limbo since 2013, will ensure around 51 lakh families get food grains at Re 1 per kg.
On the occasion Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that food grain has to be supplied to the marginalized people of the state. Referring to the poverty stricken people as Narayana, CM said that his govt. has set its priority to serve the underprivileged, marginalized & deprived section of the society.
Das said that Antyodaya Yojana for urban and rural poor, which was a dream of Pt. Dindayal Upadhyay, will help in eradicating poverty from the state. He said that the govt. endeavors to maintain transparency in delivering food grain to the impoverished people. Laying stress on the use of IT in PDS, the CM said that this will maintain transparency & minimize black marketing. Very soon, he said, the govt. is going to distribute food grains through biometric system which has already begun in many districts.
The CM said that the govt. is going to develop small irrigation schemes to make the farmers self-reliant in the field of food grain production. He said that there is no denial about loopholes in the system but the intentions of the govt. are pure. He summoned the people to point out the lacuna in the system & contribute in developing the state. He also distributed ration cards among the beneficiaries.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Saryu Rai said: “Earlier 35 lakh families were covered under Public Distribution System (PDS), but with this, 51 lakh families will benefit.” “The act will be fully implemented in next two months in the state,” he added. He said a process to end duplicity in ration cards was underway. He also said that the loopholes in PDS have been sorted out & a special drive was operated on dept. level successfully.
Mr. Rai said that the people deprived of being included in this scheme can be enlisted now. The govt. has provisioned to include 80% of the total population under food security Act. Minister said that the beneficiaries have been provisioned to be given wheat also in addition to rice. Moreover, the dealers’ commission has been increased & they have been permitted to keep another food grains along with govt. supplied food grains.
It will also boost up the food grains quantity from 97 thousand metric ton to 1.30 lakh metric ton. He said that the govt. endeavors to make Jharkhand 1st with respect to food grain distribution in the nation.
On this occasion Secretary, PDCA Vinay Kr. Choubey briefed in details about the Act. DG, A. T. I. Sudhir Prasad, Principal Secretary, UDD N. N. Sinha, Principal Secretary to CM, Sanjay Kumar, Ranchi DC Manoj Kumar, Counselor, Supreme Court Balram Ji , social activist Vishnu Rajgadhia and many beneficiaries were present on this occasion.