Starting this month, the Telangana government will supply 5kg rice free of cost to at over 9.1 million people falling below poverty line (BPL) through public distribution system for the next one year, according to a government order issued on Thursday.
Orders to this effect were issued by state civil supplies commissioner Anil Kumar on Thursday. “The supply of free rice to the BPL consumers will commence from Saturday,” a senior official of the department, requesting anonymity, said.
The move is similar to the central government’s decision of extending free supply of 5kg rice under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
At present, the central government has been supplying 5kg rice to each of 1.91 crore BPL consumers in Telangana, including 17.6 million NFS cardholders and 155,500 Antyodaya Anna Yojana card holders every month. According to the latest orders from the Centre, the free rice supply scheme will continue till December this year.
In addition to the 5kg rice being supplied by the Centre, the Telangana government has been giving another one kilogram of rice extra to these beneficiaries – thereby supplying six kilogram of rice to each consumer every month free of cost.
Along with the beneficiaries covered under the central government schemes, the state government had also been supplying six kilogram of rice to another over 9.1 million consumers identified under the BPL at a cost of ₹1 per kg, through fair price shops.
{{/usCountry}}Along with the beneficiaries covered under the central government schemes, the state government had also been supplying six kilogram of rice to another over 9.1 million consumers identified under the BPL at a cost of ₹1 per kg, through fair price shops.
{{/usCountry}}“Starting this month, the Telangana government has decided to supply rice free of cost to 91.69 lakh beneficiaries identified as BPL consumers in the state. It won’t be charging even the nominal price of ₹1 per kg,” the official quoted above said.
However, the state government has decided that instead of six kilogram of rice, all these beneficiaries – both under central government and the state government schemes – would be getting five kilogram of rice free of cost.
“So, the beneficiaries of the central government schemes – National Food Security Act or Antyodaya Anna Yojana, will be supplied five kilogram of rice as is being given by the Centre without the extra one kilogram of rice from the state. Similarly, the beneficiaries of the state government PDS, also would be getting five kilogram of rice, instead of six kilogram each, but free of cost, instead of paying ₹1 per kg,” the official added.