BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Wednesday targeted the State government over mismanagement in distribution of rice under the National Food Security Programme during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first phase of the pandemic, the government had released over Rs 955.16 crore to the districts for distribution of Rs 1,000 each to 95.51 lakh beneficiaries of the State.
The district civil supply officers have submitted utilisation certificates amounting to Rs `934 crore to the government which means Rs 21 crore remained unutilised at a time when people had nowhere to go and majority of the migrant labourers returned to their homes.
Over two lakh beneficiaries did not receive the government assistance. “We seek an explanation from the State government why this money could not be distributed,” said State BJP OBC Morcha president Surath Biswal. After the Covid-19 outbreak, the Centre has been providing free ration to the people in six phases to ensure that not a single poor family starves. Biswal said a large number migrant workers are deprived of ration due to non-implementation of ‘One Nation One Ration’ scheme of the Centre.
Accusing the State government of misappropriating funds under all the Central schemes, the BJP leader said the State government announced to provide 5 kg rice free of cost to NFSA beneficiaries during the pandemic. The government must explain if it has provided 10 kg rice including the rice provided by the Centre to all the beneficiaries, he added.