The distribution of new, digitised ration cards under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) got underway in the State with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launching the scheme at Chakeisihani at Ward-5 of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday. The Chief Minister said, “This will help the beneficiaries get their entitlements transparently. It will also streamline the PDS system. Moreover, our Rs1-per-kg rice programme covering 60 lakh families every month will continue as before.”
“The e-Bitarana is the consolidation of all activities relating to identification of beneficiaries, supply chain management system, doorstep delivery of food grains at fair price shops, effective grievance redressal mechanism for strengthening targeted PDS for implementation of NFSA 2013,” he added. Some of the beneficiaries were identified in the first phase under the NFSA under the BMC and Bhubaneswar block. The administration has decided to issue new ration cards to all eligible members in these areas by March 31.
Notably, ration will be provided through the new card starting from April. A total 1,86,000 families under the BMC have applied for the cards. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma said, “The Chief Minister will roll out this programme for the rest of the State at the Jayadev Bhavan here soon. The programme will be completed in four phases and new ration cards will be issued to all beneficiaries of the State by end of August.”
Dasburma said the NFSA would be implemented across the State from September while around 3,26,41,800 people would be covered under the scheme. In the first phase, beneficiaries staying under the BMC and Bhubaneswar block jurisdictions would get PDS items under NFSA from April while the same would be provided across the State from September, added Dasburma.