New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) The Delhi government provided free dry rations against 69.60 lakh e-coupons to persons in need of food and not in possession of ration cards under its special coronavirus relief initiative, according to the Delhi Economic Survey report tabled in the legislative assembly on Monday.
The scheme, "Mukhya Mantri Corona Sahayata Yojana", was launched in the wake of the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Accordingly, similar to the entitlement under the National Food Security Act, five kilogram food grains (four kg wheat and one kg rice) per beneficiary free of cost was given against 69.60 lakh e-coupons to individuals under the non-PDS category (who are not covered under regular public distribution system).
The dry rations were distributed through approximately 550 designated centres across Delhi from April 7, 2020.
Complying with the Supreme Court order issued on September 29 last year, free dry rations were provided to sex workers registered with the National Aids Control Organization through NGOs from the food grains available under the "Mukhya Mantri Corona Sahayta Yojana".
"Dry ration -- 64,219 kg wheat and 15,795 kg rice -- has been provided to NGOs for further distribution to the 15,782 sex workers as per the list provided by them till January 14," the economic survey report said.