The Chhattisgarh Government has prepared a comprehensive action plan for ensuring total transparency in the preparation of ration cards besides evolving a mechanism for error-free identity of Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries.
Under the action plan, the mobile, bank account and Aadhar numbers of the beneficiaries are being collected. Officials informed that data entry of details of more than 39,40,556 PDS beneficiaries have been completed out of the popular 63,51,736 beneficiaries.
Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection Minister Punnulal Mohle has instructed the department officials to complete this data entry work by June 30 this year. He said that verification of bank accounts should be done compulsorily.
The State Government has made a provision of Rs4,700 crore for implementation of ‘Chief Minister Food and Nutrition Security scheme’ in the State budget 2015-16. The Government had made a provision of Rs1.75 crore in the form of extension of ‘Core PDS’ for its ‘Meri Marzi Scheme.’
Chhattisgarh’s unique Public Distribution System (PDS) model has gram panchayats, co-operative societies and women’s self help groups (SHGs) operating the fair price shops, officials stated.
About 90 % of the masses are covered under Food and Nutrition Security Act was implemented in 2013.
State’s PDS under Antyodaya and Priority families schemes provides 35 kg foodgrains at Rs1 per kilo. Since June 2014 single member category ration card-holders under destitutes segment are provided 10 kg food grains free of cost.
The State Government keeping in view nutrition security is providing -grams, pulses, sugar and Iodised salt. Antyodaya and Priority families get two kg salt free of cost, two kg grams at Rs1per kilo in Notified areas. In non-Notified areas two kg pulses at the rate of Rs10 and one kg sugar at Rs13 are distributed.
Under Antyodaya scheme most backward Tribes-Baiga, Birhor, PahadiKorva, Kamar, Abhujmadias, families headed by single female, and serious ,incurable patients-AIDS, Sickle cell anaemia, cancer, TB afflicted, families with old ,dependent, and those families whose head is freed from bonded labour-are included under Antyodaya scheme.
landless labour families ,small farmers upto five acres of land, unorganised labour like-barbers, shoe-makers, carpenters, washermen, rickshaw-pullers families, building construction labour -coolies and other menial workers, are included in the Priority list.
It is interesting to note that Central Government also passed National Food Security Act 2013, which was implemented in January 2014.
As per the Centre, 78.43 per cent ( 2 crore) population is covered under the subsidised food scheme, but under Chhattisgarh Food Security Act 91 % ( 2.32 crore) population are getting benefits. Under the Food and Nutrition Security Act, hostels, ashrams, anganwadis, are provided with subsidised foodgrains. About Rs3844 crore 32 lakh is allocated in fiscal 2014-15 for the scheme.
The ration shop owners are answerable to the consumers.