With the declaration of state Chief Minister Harish Rawat about implementation of National Food Security Scheme from the next month in Uttarakhand, the food and civil supply officers have speeded up the task of making new ration cards for intended beneficiaries which was kept pending due to lok Sabha elections. Once this scheme comes into effect, the intended beneficiaries in various parts of the state will receive food grains at highly subsidised rates.
State additional secretary (food and civil supply) Ravinath Raman said that all the districts have almost completed the task of making new ration cards for intended beneficiaries under the scheme. Due to enforcement of model code of conduct for lok Sabha election, these cards were not distributed among the beneficiaries. The district officers have been directed to complete the task of making new ration cards and issuing these to the beneficiaries soon so that this scheme can be implemented by June 15.
The Central Government has approved the quota of food grains for beneficiaries under the scheme. Under the scheme, intended beneficiaries would get five kilos of food grain comprising three kilos of rice and two kilos of wheat per person for Rs3 and Rs2 per kg respectively. Below Poverty line (BPl) and Antyodaya card holders were included in the scheme and the Above Poverty line (APl) section having monthly income of less than Rs15,000 will also benefit after being provided new ration cards under the scheme.
The intended beneficiaries under the scheme have been selected based on guidelines issued by the Central and State Governments. Beneficiaries of old age pension, widow pension, physically handicapped persons, rickshaw drivers, porters, daily wagers, sanitation workers, cobblers, blacksmiths, carpenters, village craftsmen, domestic helpers and others were given priority while
selecting the beneficiaries under the scheme.
It should be mentioned here that the then Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had launched National Food Security Scheme in August 20 last year setting the deadline for its implementation. About 62 percent of the state’s poor would be covered under the scheme. The rest would be covered under a similar State Government run scheme, said Raman, while adding that under the State’s food security scheme, food grains would cost a little more than under the national scheme.
Critics are of the opinion that after completion of lok Sabha poll and expected enforcement of Model Code of Conduct for Panchayat election, the State Government is in a hurry to implement this scheme before implementation of the Model Code of Conduct for Panchayat polls.
With the implementation of this scheme, Chief Minister Harish Rawat may want to get political mileage over other parties if Assembly election takes place within six months or so, as is being speculated by some considering the apparent instability of a State Government dependent on the support of independent MlAs to remain in office.