Chhattisgarh to distribute free rice to BPL families from July to November

Over 25.1m Chhattisgarh residents from amongst the 6.79 million ration card holding families will benefit from the free rice scheme announced by the state.

Updated on: Jun 9, 2021, 08:43:50 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday announced it will give free rice to families in the below poverty line (BPL) category from July to November to help mitigate the economic impact of the second wave of Covid-19 on the poor. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced free food grains to around 800 million citizens till November under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

Chhattisgarh distributed free rice to the poor and needy families under the public distribution system (PDS) scheme in the months of May and June as well, claimed the government. (HT Photo)

Over 25.1m Chhattisgarh residents from 6.79 m ration card holding families will benefit from the scheme announced by the state, a government press release said on Tuesday.

The release added that the Chhattisgarh government had distributed rice free of cost to the poor and needy families under the public distribution system (PDS) scheme in the months of May and June as well.

“As per the announcement of chief minister Baghel, BPL families will now be provided rice free of cost from the month of July to the month of November this year. This decision would greatly benefit ration card holders of ‘antyodaya’, ‘priority’, ‘annapoorna’, ‘destitute’, ‘disable’ categories. Moreover, all the beneficiaries of the State Food Security Act would be provided rice in quantity equivalent to the Prime Minister Poor Welfare Scheme,” the release added.

Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, which governs the public distribution system (PDS), the ration card households are divided into three categories -- priority households (PR), priority state households (PRS), and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families. The beneficiaries under the PR and PRS categories are entitled to 5 kgs of food grains per month while AAY households receive 25 kgs wheat, 10 kgs rice and 1 kg sugar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.