BHUBANESWAR: Days after Union Minister for Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan allowed beneficiaries of National Food Security Act (NFSA) to lift their quota of subsidised food grains for six months in one go, amid coronavirus outbreak, the Finance Ministry on Monday approved the proposal for states lifting three months food grains quota from the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
“To ensure adequate supply of food grains to the public and financially assist the State governments, Department of Expenditure of has agreed to the Food and Public Distribution Department’s proposal that food grain for three months can be lifted by States/ UTs on credit from FCI,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a tweet. In the wake of coronavirus, the State Government has already announced to distribute rice, wheat and kerosene to beneficiaries of NFSA and State Food Security scheme for three months in advance.
As per the decision, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department will distribute rice, wheat and kerosene to 3.26 crore NFSA beneficiaries and five lakh beneficiaries State scheme through PDS from April 1 to May 15.
Meanwhile, the Government has moved the Centre seeking its permission for supply of ration to the people for three months in advance.
On March 18, Paswan said the country has enough food grains and he has allowed the States and UTs to distribute six-month quota of grains to the poor in one go.
DGP reviews lockdown enforcement
DGP Abhay on Monday reviewed the enforcement of lockdown in five districts and eight towns of Odisha through video conferencing with the Director (Intelligence), Police Commissioner, ADG (Law and Order), all SPs, Twin City DCPs, range IGs, DIGs and other senior officers.
“DGP took feedback on the enforcement. The officers were also briefed about the enforcement to be carried out in nine other districts where lockdown will be implemented from Tuesday,” said a police officer. Strategies to enhance the enforcement to contain the spread of COVID-19 were also discussed, he added.
Workers prevented from organising stirs
Odisha Government on Monday enforced section 3 of Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1988 to prevent water supply and sanitation workers in urban areas from staging agitation or mass demonstration.
The order issued by the Housing and Urban Development department will remain in force for six months.
As per the order, persons dealing with sanitation work and casual workers connected with supply and distribution of drinking water in the civic bodies, staff employed under all ULBs, PHEO, OWSSB and WATCO have been prohibited from organising strikes.