BHUBANESWAR : Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday launched the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme in the State which will allow a beneficiary to get his food entitlements anywhere in India irrespective of the place where the ration card is registered.
He also started the scheme of providing rice fortified with Vitamin B 12 and Folic Acid at Malkangiri.
Addressing a function to mark the occasion virtually, the Chief Minister said that food security is the largest welfare scheme of the State government through which 93 lakh families and over three crore people of the State are being benefited.
Stating that the aim of the State government is to ensure that not a single person is deprived of food, Naveen said that rice at Rs 2 per kg and Rs 1 per kg has been provided to people from 2008 and 2013 respectively. The Chief Minister said that the State government has started several schemes for the welfare of the poor including making education free for their children.
The government is providing free shoes, dress, books and other necessary items free of cost to the poor students, he said and added that several employment generation schemes have also been started.
Stating that steps have been generated for employment of women under Mission Shakti, he said that Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme has been appreciated in the entire country. Besides, the State government has also launched a Rs 2,000 crore package for farmers, women and workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister for Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Ranendra Pratap Swain elaborated on the scheme.
Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Tusharkanti Behera who was present at Malkangiri said that vitamin fortified rice will have health benefits for the people of Malkangiri district.