Jharkhand's Food Security Act to benefit 80 percent of population

Nearly 80 percent of the around 3.29 crore population of Jharkhand will be covered under the Food Security Act which will be implemented from September 25, a minister said.

Food and Supply Minister Saryu Rai told IANS: "Under the Food Security Act, around 2.64 crore people will be covered which is 80 percent of the total population of the state.

"In rural areas, 86.4 percent and in urban areas 60.4 percent of the population will be covered."

He said under the act, people will be given 35 kg foodgrains including rice at rate of Rs.1 per kg.

He highlighted some measures being taken by the government to ensure effective disbursement.

"We will start door-to-door delivery system to dealers. Dedicated vehicles will be hired to carry foodgrains from state food corporation department to the shops of the dealers," he said.

The vehicles will ply on dedicated routes and all of them will be connected through GPS system.

The minister said the point of sale of the material will be connected through biometric system which will be linked to Aadhaar cards.

Benficiaries will be able to collect foodgrains from thier choice of PDS shops.

He said his ministry has also decided to increase the commission of the dealers.

"At present dealer gets Rs.26 on per quintal of foodgrain as commission. After the implementation of the act, the dealers will get Rs.100 per quintal as commission," Rai told IANS.

To keep a tab on the delivery, he said his ministry has decided to begin exclusion of names of those people who should not be covered under the act.