Even as the State Government announced to distribute food grains to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 14 districts from November 16, yet it failed to do the same in full-fledged manner on the first day. Due to various reasons, beneficiaries in four districts, Balangir, Nuapada, Gajapati and Deogarh, couldn’t be given food grains, according to sources.
Beneficiaries in these four districts though came to the concerned panchayat offices yet they returned empty handed as the ration centres were closed. “We are yet to get allotted food grains. As we have no stock with us under NFSA we could not disburse the same to the beneficiaries,” said a civil supplies official of Balangir district. Meanwhile, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma said efforts are on to ensure smooth distribution of items to each beneficiary. According to the schedule, the State Government had to implement the NFSA by distributing food grains to the ration cardholders in 14 districts, Kandhamal, Angul, Sonepur, Balangir, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Nuapada, Malkangiri, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Koraput, Boudh and Deogarh in the first phase.
Under the NFSA each beneficiary would get five kg rice or wheat at `3 and `2, respectively.
Currently, distribution of ration cards to beneficiaries in the rest 16 districts is underway.