Food grains on cheaper price from Apr 15

Bhopal, Apr 12: Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana would be launched in the state on April 15 through which families living below poverty line would be supplied wheat at the reduced rate of Rs three per kg and rice at the rate of Rs 4.50 per kg from government fair price shops.

The state-wide launch of the scheme would be made at the state capital Bhopal following which the scheme would be launched on April 16 at divisional headquarters of Rewa, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Indore, Sagar by organising camps for BPL beneficiaries. On the third day on April 17, these camps would be organised at all the district headquarters. Information would be given about all the programmes being conducted by the state government for the poor people. Large-scale preparations are underway for this ambitious scheme of the state government in the interest of poor people. An allocation to the tune of Rs 160 crore has been made in the budget for giving subsidy at the rate of Rs two per kg to BPL families on present consumer rate of Rs five per kg of wheat and Rs 6.50 per kg of rice.

This scheme is being implemented on the initiative of the Chief Minister for 41.25 lakh BPL families which could not covered by Antodaya Anna Yojana. Under this scheme, each BPL family (holder of blue ration card) would be provided 20 kg food grains per month. Wheat would be provided at the rate of Rs three per kg and rice at the rate of Rs 4.50 per kg from ration shops. At present 35 kg food grains are being provided per month to the beneficiaries of Antodaya Anna Yojana. These include wheat at the rate of Rs two per kg and rice at the rate of Rs 3 per kg. There are 15.81 lakh Antodaya beneficiaries. The families not covered under this scheme are being provided 20 kg food grains per month. The state government has launched Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana keeping BPL families’ interests in view so that they can also get food grains at reduced rates like Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).

The Civil Supplices Corporaton had started lifting food grains quota fixed for April for BPL families right since March so that food grains should be available to the beneficiaries in time. State government has released the grant fore expenditure to be incurred on supplying food grains to BPL families under this scheme. Therefore, the state government has made it clear that from April wheat would be provided at the rate of Rs three per kg and rice at the rate of Rs 4.50 per kg from fair price shops to BPL families. Those who would attend the camps under Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana include directors of BPL families Committees, lead\link managers and salesmen, directors of consumers stores, Sarpanchas connected with Panchayat-run fair price shops, panchs, Panchayat Secretaries etc. A 20-kg packet of food grains would be given to 100 beneficiary families at the camps. Government has issued instructions to district collectors to ensure that the benefit of this scheme should reach the beneficiary families alone and they would be held accountable for it.