Madhya Pradesh will celebrate an ‘Anna Utsav’ (food grains festival) on September 16, the eve of PM Narendra Modi’s birthday, during which 37 lakh new below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries will be covered under the government’s scheme to provide food grains to them on highly subsidised rates, as per a decision taken by state government on Sunday evening.
Under the scheme, the beneficiaries will get rice, wheat and salt at Re 1 per kg. Every beneficiary will get 5 kg of food grains per month, according to the food and civil supplies department.
Earlier, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had informed PM Modi that he intended to hold the programme on the eve of his birthday.
The state government made the announcement to organise the ‘festival’ after a meeting held on Sunday evening to review the preparations for mass distribution of eligibility slips (patrata parchi) to the 37 lakh new BPL beneficiaries to give subsidised ration to them.
“In the Utsav, 37 lakh people covered under the Food Security Act will be provided eligibility slips to provide ration under Annapurna Yojna. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also directed authorities to cover auto rickshaw drivers too under the scheme,” said an official communique.
Rural Development and Panchayatraj Department and Urban Development department in coordination with Food and Civil Supplies department will organise the programme.
{{/usCountry}}Rural Development and Panchayatraj Department and Urban Development department in coordination with Food and Civil Supplies department will organise the programme.
{{/usCountry}}According to the release, the CM will also hold discussions with the beneficiaries as part of the statewide programme to be organised in Bhopal on September 16.
Ministers, MPs and MLAs of the state will start the ration distribution simultaneously in programmes organised in each district of the state. Along with this, the Anna Utsav will also be celebrated in all gram panchayats and wards of urban areas, as per the official information.
At present there are more than 1.16 crore below poverty line (BPL) and Antyodaya cards holders in the state covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA), as per the state government’s data.
Earlier, the government had decided to cover the beneficiaries under the scheme on September 1 but it was deferred.