Patnaik to launch NFSA ration card distribution on Oct 2

In its effort to implement the first phase of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in Odisha, the state government will launch a ration card distribution programme on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti tomorrow.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who would launch the programme at the state capital, today asked officials to ensure all eligible persons get the benefit of NFSA.
"The new ration cards have already reached the districts for distribution among 1.29 crore beneficiaries," food supplies and consumer welfare secretary M S Padhi said adding, the beneficiaries would get ration at subsidised rates from November 1.
As per the Act, the state government has updated the list of beneficiaries on the PDS portal. Later, emphasis would be laid on PDS automation, he said.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to provide the Re 1 per kg subsidised rice to the Poor Left Outs (PLO) beneficiaries till November 30.
Patnaik had earlier directed the food supplies and consumer welfare department to continue supply of cheap rice to PLO families till implementation of NFSA across the State.

As many as 6,23,426 families, who were deprived of BPL cards in 1997 and identified as PLOs, have been provided with cheap rice in the state since 2008, officials said.
The state government has to bear an additional expenditure of Rs 35 crore for providing the cheap rice for over six lakh PLO families.

The second phase of the NFSA would be implemented from December 1 and total of 3.26 crore people of the state's total population of 4.11 crore have been identified as beneficiaries.