About 38.54 per cent of the rural population and 47.26 per cent of urban population of Chandigarh will get covered under the Food Security Bill.
Based on National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) Consumption Expenditure Survey data for 2011-12, the Planning Commission has estimated that 38.54 per cent of the rural and 47.26 per cent of urban population of the city will get covered under the Food Security Bill.
Entitled person under the scheme will receive 5 kg of food grains per month i.e. Rice, Wheat or coarse grain at Rs 3, Rs2 and Rs1 per kg respectively. The poorest of the poor will continue to get 35 kg foodgrains per household per month under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).
About 5 lakh people in the city are likely to become entitled to subsidised food under the Food Security Bill.
As per the census 2011 figures, the urban city of Chandigarh spreading over an area of 114 sq km has a total population of 1055450 people. The census stated that the city has 28,991 rural and 10,26,459 urban population. The city has 97.25 per cent population living in urban areas and 2.74 per cent living in rural areas.
According to the recent data of Planning Commission, 21 per cent or 2.35 lakh people in the city survive on less than Rs1,155 per month.
Notably, the UT Administration has constituted a Committee to identify the target group of beneficiaries under the Food Security Bill. The Committee is headed by UT Additional Deputy Commissioner Tanvi Garg and the recommendations made by this Committee will be sent to the Centre for approval.
At present, there are 99,000 ration card holders in the city. And, around 4.23 lakh people under APl, BPl and Antodya categories are already covered under various social security schemes here.