Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh has said that bonus at Rs 270 per quintal will be given to the farmers in the coming Kharif year also on the paddy purchased under the support price policy in the cooperative societies.
Dr Singh said that the public distribution system (PDS) of Chhattisgarh has become a model for the country and no power on the earth could stop the PDS of Chhattisgarh.
The chief minister, on the second day of his two-day public relation tour, on Wedensday visited Manki, Torankatta, Thakurtolla, Tekwa, Khutteri and Dhiri villages of Rajnandgaon district and addressed public meetings.
He said that with the cooperation and support of people Chhattisgarh has implemented the first Food Security Act of the country and under this Act, through PDS, there is provision to distribute 35 kg rice at only Re 1 per kg and two kg salt free of cost, two kg gram at Rs 5 per kg and two kg pulses at Rs 10 per kg to the 42 lakh poor families of the state.
Not only paddy bonus and PDS, but no welfare scheme implemented by the State Government for the village, poor, farmer and labourers and all other needy people would be stopped, the chief minister affirmed. The chief minister has performed bhumi poojan, laid foundation stones and dedicated various construction works costing Rs 24 lakh at Manki, Rs 25 lakh at Torankatta and Rs 32 lakh at Thakurtolla villages.
Singh distributed free cycles, sewing machines under the schemes of labour department to a large number of women workers and free equipment to male labourers.
He also gave away ration cards to new families. He has enrolled several children in the school and distributed free textbooks and uniforms to them.