Mizoram, Manipur to implement food security scheme

The Mizoram and Manipur governments will implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA) from February.

"Arrangements for making available rice to those excluded from the scheme will be made through the Public Distribution System (PDS)," Mizoram's Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister John Rotluangliana said in Aizawl.

He said 706,296 people out of around 11 lakh population will be provided rice at subsidised rate under NFSA while the remaining households can buy eight kg rice per month at Rs.15 per kg.

In Imphal, an official of Manipur's food and civil supplies department said: "Work on computerization of data and digitization of ration cards are in advanced stage for the implementation of the food security act."

The Left Front government in Tripura introduced the NFSA from September 1 last year.

Assam implemented the scheme from December 24, benefiting over 2.40 crore people.

Under the NFSA, which came into force on July 5, 2013, each eligible person will get five kg of food grain a month - rice at Rs.3 per kg, wheat at Rs.2 per kg and coarse cereals at Re.1 per kg.

NFSA allows up to 75 percent of the rural population and up to 50 percent of the urban population to get food grain at subsidised prices.