Odisha extends free rice scheme under state food scheme for one more year

The state exchequer has earmarked ₹185 crore for the scheme, a release from the chief minister’s office said on Tuesday

Updated on: Jan 4, 2023, 10:07:43 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Naveen Patnaik government on Tuesday announced that the beneficiaries under the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) will continue to get free rice of 5 kg per person till the end of December 2023, much in line with a similar move by the Union government.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. (Twitter Photo)

The state exchequer has earmarked ₹185 crore for the scheme, a release from the chief minister’s office said in a statement.

Since October 2018, the state government has been distributing 5 kg rice per person per month at ₹1 per kg to those who have been left out from the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

After the Covid-19 outbreak, the beneficiaries under the SFSS have been provided with additional rice and pulses in the last 28 months. Besides, a cash incentive of ₹1,000 has been provided to each family under NFSA and SFSS, twice during this period.

Also Read:Free ration for 800 million people to be extended

Last month, the Narendra Modi-led central government ended the fiscally-draining Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), but decided that nearly 813 million beneficiaries will receive 5 kg grain per person every month for free under the NFSA till end of this year.

The PMGKAY, which was in effect during and after the pandemic, cost ₹3.91 lakh crore to the national exchequer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More