CUTTACK: The district administration has targeted to include 1.45 lakh poor people under the State’s own food security scheme which will be implemented from October 2. The administration has geared up its machineries and started receiving applications from the poor, distressed and other eligible persons not covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to include them in the State’s own scheme. Persons suffering from leprosy, HIV and other critical diseases will also be covered under the scheme to provide them subsidised rice. The administration has targeted to include 1.45 lakh beneficiaries of all the 14 blocks and four urban areas in the district.
Around 35,000 poor and distress families in the district will be benefited by scheme. Collector Aravind Agarwal on Friday convened a meeting with all officials concerned including food and civil supply department officials and reviewed the status to take stock of the NFSA’s left out position. He directed the officials to expedite scrutiny, field-level inquiry and identification process in a free, fair and transparent manner for successful implementation of the scheme in the district.
As per reports, while total 17,95,000 beneficiaries of 4.72 lakh families have been covered under NFSA, several needy persons deprived of availing the subsidised food grains have been running from pillar to post since implementation of the NFSA in the country. District Civil Supply Officer (CSO) Amar Mohapatra said applications of around 5,000 poor and distress families are pending in the district office.
Households having persons aged 60 or above with no regular support and assured means of subsistence will receive benefit from the scheme. Besides, the households, where no adult member is available due to old age, lack of physical or mental fitness and social customs to care for disabled persons will be covered under the scheme. The beneficiaries will be provided five kg of rice each per month at `1 per kg, he added.