Jharkhand Food and Civil Supplies Minister lobin Hembrom launched the ‘Sona-Sobran Dhoti-Saree-lungi Yojana’ aimed at providing clothes to BPl families of the Koderma district on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Hembrom said clothes were one of the basic necessities of human being, hence the government has decided to provide BPl families with it.’The BPl families including those covered under Antyodaya Scheme could purchase either a ‘dhoti or a lungi’ and a saree twice in a year,’ Minister said.

He said the state government was concerned about poor people and has enhanced pension amount for them.

lobin Hembrom said 14,76,100 families have been benefited under ‘Mukhyamantri Khadyaan Sahayata Yojana’ while 9,17,900 families were provided food grains under the Antyodaya Scheme besides 11,15,833 families have availed the facility of purchasing 35 kilograms of rice per month at the rate of Rupee 1 by the initiative of his government. on his part, the government will spend Rs 192 for a saree, Rs 175 for a lungi and Rs 155 for a dhoti,he added.

State food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister told  that the state would bear the subsidy that would come to around Rs 150 crore annually.

He also praised the biometric system implemented in PDS (Public Delivery System) to vigil and control the corruption in the system.

Annpurna Devi, Water resources and child welfare minister present at the occasion said “Government has always been sensitive towards the poor. Earlier, the government hiked pension amounts meant for the poor, including senior citizens, widows and the disabled.” she said. “we are committed to provide all possible help to the poor and backward population of the state.”

Minister duo presented sari dhoti to 19 beneficiaries at the moment, while 5 students were presented bicycle. Total beneficiaries selected under this scheme were 61547 for sari,36928 for dhoti and 24619 for lungi through out the district.The clothes were distributed among the beneficiaries from six different blocks organizing six different counters for the purpose.

Others present included K Ravi Kumar DC,Abhay SInha DDC, Naushad Alam ASP,Mahesh Rai District Board chairman, Prabhsh Kumar Dutta BDO Koderma, Atul Kumar CO Koderma,Rekha Devi district board memberand hundreds of beneficiaries.