M A I N   N E W S

Hooda govt to roll out food security scheme from Aug 20
More than half of state’s population stands to benefit
Pradeep Sharma/TNS

Chandigarh, July 10
It’s raining sops for the poor in Haryana ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The state government has announced its decision to implement the UPA’s flagship food security scheme. What’s more, it’s also rolling out another scheme for providing subsidised pulses to below poverty line (BPL) families to take care of their nutritional needs.

The twin schemes would be launched on August 20 - the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. “We have already done the spadework and are prepared to implement the Food Security Ordinance”, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda said here today. Under the new scheme, there would be nearly 1.31 crore beneficiaries (more than half of Haryana’s population) as against current 54.41 lakh beneficiaries under various schemes, including the Anthodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). The beneficiaries would get rice, wheat and coarse cereals at the rate of Rs 3, 2 and 1 per kilogram, respectively. Similarly, under another populist scheme, the state government would provide 2.5 kilogram pulses per month at the subsidised rate of Rs 20 per kilogram to each BPL family. This would benefit around 12.84 lakh BPL families and will go a long way in meeting nutritional needs of the poor.

Hooda has formed a committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary PK Chaudhery to work out modalities for inclusion of more beneficiaries under the scheme.

The committee will submit its report within a week. Giving details of the beneficiaries, officials said currently 38.6 lakh rural beneficiaries were availing the benefit of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

With implementation of the new scheme, 85.29 lakh rural beneficiaries would be benefited under the TPDS.

Similarly, in urban pockets, 15.81 lakh beneficiaries were getting the TPDS benefit. Under the new scheme, the number of such beneficiaries would increase to 45.57 lakh.

Hooda said Haryana had 9,174 fair price shops which were enough to effectively implement the scheme for 27.84 lakh families. Currently, one fair price shop has 638 ration cards against the capacity of 1,200 to 1,300 ration cards.

“The state has enough infrastructure to successfully implement the scheme”, the Chief Minister claimed. With polls round the corner, the Hooda government is clearly aiming at consolidating its vote bank.

“The food security scheme is the best anti-dote to the anti-incumbency factor in the elections next year,” a senior state functionary said.

Food for thought

* Over 1.3 crore people to benefit from food scheme.

* 27.84 lakh families to get rice rice, wheat and coarse cereals at Rs 3, 2 and 1 per kg, respectively

* 9,174 fair price shops to implement scheme for 27.84 lakh families

Pulses at subsidised rates

Under another populist scheme, the state government would provide 2.5 kg pulses per month at the subsidised rate of `20 per kg to each BPL family.