Expanded Bengal food security scheme to benefit 7 crore people

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched an expanded food security scheme under which around seven crore people would get rice and wheat at Rs.2 per kg each.

Launching the scheme -- christened Khadya Sathi -- at the sprawling Indira Gandhi Sarani, Banerjee said around 80 percent of the state's nine crore people would benefit from the scheme.

Thanking the farmers for contributing to the stock of grains required for Khadya Sathi, she said: "Fifteen lakh tonnes of rice have already been procured, which is more than our target of ten lakh tonnes."

The Banerjee government has so far been giving rice at Rs.2 per kg to 3.33 crore people. With the launch of Khadya Sathi, three crore more beneficiaries will be entitled to get food grains at Rs.2 per kg.

Besides, another 70 lakh people will get subsidised food grains.

Banerjee also inaugurated the Kamalgazi flyover by remote control from the Indira Gandhi Sarani podium.

The 1.164-km flyover is expected to ease the flow of traffic at the Kamalgazi crossing on the southern outskirts of the city.

The chief minister also inaugurated four women's police stations -- Watgunge, Amherst Street, Tollygunge and Patuli -- in the city.