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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Food Act on state plate by Sept. 1

Food Act on state plate by Sept. 1

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published Published on Jul 1, 2015   modified Modified on Jul 1, 2015
-The Telegraph

Ranchi/Jamshedpur: National Food Security Act 2013, which was to debut in Jharkhand's eight districts tomorrow, will now be launched as a single helping across all 24 districts from September 1, state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Saryu Roy said today.

The food Act will cover 2.65 crore beneficiaries out of 3.3 crore in Jharkhand, minister Roy said at a news meet in Jamshedpur this evening. This includes 40,09,000 rural and 9,08,000 urban families, department officials said, making it possibly the most ambitious scheme to ever roll out in the state.

Union food and civil supplies minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who had wanted the Act to be launched in Jharkhand at one go instead of phases, looks like he will have his way.

The official reason cited for the delayed-but-blanket launch is that the state wants to include more people under its ambit and bring down the price of foodgrain, especially rice, for which budgetary provisions need to be made.

Minister Roy added the food Act, besides giving subsidy to a humongous chunk of the population, would also benefit women in self-help groups who will run several PDS outlets.

"I recently met senior officials of Nabard, which will provide women's groups loans to procure foodgrain. The Act encourages women to run self-help groups but they will also have to deposit money in advance to procure foodgrain, which is where Nabard steps in," Roy said. He also said they needed to open about 25 per cent more ration stores.

"We were ready to launch the Act in eight districts. But, we want to include more people in the scheme and offer rice below Rs 3 a kilo. We aim to set things right by August 15 and launch the scheme from September 1," Vinay Kumar Choubey, state food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department secretary said in Ranchi.

Choubey, in Jamshedpur yesterday to review preparations across Kolhan commissionary (East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan), will survey North Chotanagpur commissionary districts in Hazaribagh this Friday and South Chotanagpur commissionary in Ranchi on Saturday.

"It is hectic but you must consider the magnitude of the scheme. Around 46 lakh families have been included under the food Act. We want to add 4-5 lakh more families by adopting different inclusion criteria, as Jharkhand can reach up to a maximum 50 lakh families under the Act," Choubey said.

According to the Centre's proposal, the Act will enable people classified under Antyodaya and priority households to buy rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 and coarse cereals such as jowar and bajra for Re 1. States may tweak prices based on their needs, which Jharkhand wants to, in the case of rice.

But, while Antyodaya families will get 35kg foodgrain a month, priority households will get 5kg foodgrain every month.

A special drive will start in every district between July 6 and 15 wherein officials will consider inclusion criteria to include new beneficiaries, the secretary added. "Between July 1 and July 15, another round of verification will take place in district," Choubey said.

But, all is not hunky-dory. Sources in the department said rules had not been framed to redress grievances in districts. Also, the postponement from July to September left food rights activists like Balram fuming. Balram called this delay both "unfortunate" and "an eyewash".

The Telegraph, 1 July, 2015, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150701/jsp/frontpage/story_28926.jsp#.VZO4_UY1t_k


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