Distribution of foodgrains under the ambitious Food Security Scheme formally began in the national Capital on Sunday with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit offering the entitlement to identified beneficiaries in several areas. The Scheme was launched in Delhi on August 20 by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
The Chief Minister distributed the foodgrains to beneficiaries at laxmibai Nagar, South Kidwai Nagar, Krishna Menon Marg and Copernicus Marg in central Delhi. All the areas where Dikshit distributed foodgrains fall under New Delhi constituency, which she represents. A number of Congress MlAs too distributed foodgrains in their respective constituencies.
Dikshit said the Delhi Government will provide benefits under the Scheme to 73 lakh people in the city out of a total population of 1.68 crore. In the first phase, the Government will distribute foodgrains to 32 lakh beneficiaries. She said the process of reaching out to the remaining 41 lakh people has already started. “The Government is committed to cover all 73 lakh by January next year.
The Scheme would go a long way in overcoming hunger and alleviation of poverty across the country, apart from enhancing the status of women,” she said, addressing a gathering at laxmibai Nagar. All BPl families, Above Poverty line (APl) card holders, Jhuggi Ration Card (JRC) holders and beneficiaries under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) are being included in the first phase.
The city Government has also decided to include the homeless, daily wage earners, ragpickers and settlers in resettlement colonies and slum clusters in the first phase of the Scheme. Dikshit said the Scheme also provides for empowering women since the right to food under the Scheme is given to a family through the woman head. The Food Security Scheme will be the biggest in the world with the Government spending an estimated amount of Rs 1.25 crore annually on supply of about 62 mn tonnes of rice, wheat and coarse cereals to 67 per cent of the population.
Under the Scheme, the beneficiaries will have the right to get 5 kilo foodgrains every month at highly subsidised rates. The Congress believes that the Food Security and Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme would be some sort of a game changer for the party in the 2014 lok Sabha polls on the lines of MNREGA and farmer loan waiver schemes.
The Delhi Government had decided to implement the Scheme as the Centre had issued a Food Security Ordinance in July. The Food Security Bill has been cleared by the lok Sabha and is awaiting Rajya Sabha’s approval.