In a big relief to the people, who are not covered under the Food Security Act and hold saffron ration card, the Maharashtra government on Saturday decided to provide them food grains due to the current nationwide lockdown.
Nearly 3 crore people will benefit under the scheme. This is in addition to 7 crore beneficiaries, who are covered under the Food Security Act in the state.
Minister of Food and Civil Supply Chhagan Bhujbal, who met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, told FPJ, “The distribution to food grains to saffron card holders is to avoid their inconvenience in the lockdown. The state has enough reserves of grains that can last for six more months,’’informed Bhujbal.
Deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe also welcomed the government’s decision. “I had appealed to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to consider providing food grain to saffron card ration card holders,’’ noted Gorhe.
Bhujbal said the state government is planning to buy food grains from the open market and sell it to holders of saffron-coloured ration cards at cheaper rates. Bhujbal added that beneficiaries will get regular food grains plus the free five kg rice announced by the Centre. He said the government will buy food grains from open market at Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg and sell it at subsidised Rs 10 to Rs 12 per kg to the saffron card-holders to help them tide over the crisis.
The move will put the additional burden of Rs 300 crore per month on the state exchequer. The minister further said that he would look into the complaints regarding people from containment zones in Mumbai about not receiving food grains. Until Friday, record quantity of 6.94 lakh quintals of foodgrains were distributed to 28.61 lakh ration card-holders through the public distribution system, which began earlier on Wednesday.
