Refined iodized salt in Chhattisgarh freebie scheme

Chhattisgarh government had decided to distribute refined iodized salt free of cost to the ration card holders in the state under its food security act.

Earlier, the beneficiaries were getting normal iodized salt free of cost. In all, about 6 million ration card holders in the state were availing the benefits of the scheme that was covered under the Chhattisgarh food and nutrition act 2012. The state cabinet approved the proposal of the food department to upgrade the quality of the salt. "The refined iodized salt would be distributed from October 1," Chief Minister Raman Singh said. The department concerned had been directed to take necessary steps for inviting tender for the supply of iodized salt so that the scheme could be launched from October 1, he added.

The firms across the country would be participating in the process for supplying refined iodized salt in Chhattisgarh. The state would be requiring about 144000 metric tonnes of refined iodized salt for the scheme that would be implemented through the public distribution system.

Singh said aboutRs 83.23 crore would be spent for the purchase of refined salt that would be Rs 10 crore more than the previous allocation for the scheme.

A few other states including Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have been distributing refined iodized salt. Under the scheme, each family living in the development block coming scheduled areas would be entitled for two kilograms of refined iodized salt while those residing in the unscheduled areas would get one kilogram.