Delhi Cabinet decides details of food scheme

With barely a month left for the proposed launch of its ambition food security scheme, Delhi Government today finalised the various nitty gritties.
A meeting of the Delhi Cabinet presided by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit gave its in-principle approval for formal launch of the scheme on August 20, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and finalised various aspects relating to implementation of the scheme.
Though the scheme will be launched on August 20, the beneficiaries will start getting entitled food grains from September 1.
"The Cabinet gave its in-principle approval for formal launch of Food Security Scheme on August 20. The beneficiary would get benefits under the scheme with effect from September 1. The Cabinet also finalised nitty gritties for the scheme's implementation," officials said.

Considering the potential of the populist measure in the Assembly elections slated for November in the city, Dikshit had earlier this month had announced that Delhi will be the first state in the country to launch the scheme, dubbed a 'game changer' by Congress for the Lok Sabha polls next year.
The officials said government will provide benefits under the scheme to 5.10 lakh families in the first phase and the entitled foodgrain will be given to the beneficiary families through their seniormost female members.

In the first phase, all BPL families, Above Poverty Line (APL) card holders and Jhughi Ration Card (JRC) holders and beneficiaries under Antodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) will be included.

The city government has also decided to include homeless people, daily wage-earners, rag-pickers, people living in resettlement colonies and slum clusters in the first phase of implementation of the scheme.
No income tax payers, vehicle and house owners will be included under the scheme in the first phase, officials said, adding that the second and final phase of implementation of the scheme will be launched in February next year.
They said the beneficiaries of Annashree Yojna, who are getting a monthly cash subsidy of Rs 600, are likely to be kept out in the first phase.