Soon after the plight of 11-year-old orphan girl Seema Munda of Salarapentha village in Keonjhar district was reported in media as she was deprived of subsidised public distribution system (PDS) rice for two months, the Government on Monday swung into action mode to help her out.
The girl had not received PDS rice as she does not have an Aadhaar card to link with her ration card.
Women and Child Development Minister Tukuni Sahu took to Twitter and asked the district administration to come to the girl’s help immediately.
Later, Food Supplies Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain visited Keonjhar, met Seema in her house and instructed officials concerned to provide her the quota of PDS rice of last two months. He also directed the officials to make her Aadhaar card and seed it with her ration card.
“She will also be extended help for her education,” said Swain.
The Keonjhar Sub-Collector, District Child Welfare Officer (CWO) and Additional District Welfare Officer (ADWO) visited the village and enrolled Seema in the nearby Kusumita Ashram School. They also assured her all help for her higher studies in future.
Notably, Seema had been staying with her grandfather after her mother left her and father died when she was a child.
Two years back, her grandfather died due to old age-related ailments.
She used to get 5 kg of rice under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) till August this year. However, after the Centre made it mandatory for linking of Aadhaar with ration card, Seema failed to get the subsidised rice.