Virbhadra launches Rajiv Gandhi Ann Yojana

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today launched Rajiv Gandhi Ann Yojana under the Food Security Scheme in the state.
Of the state's 68 lakh population, about 37 lakh would be benefited by the scheme, Singh said after handing over ration bags to 104-year-old Mast Ram and Vidya Devi (70) of Sunni area of the district at a function at Ridge maidan here.
Beneficiaries under the scheme would get three kgs of wheat at Rs 2 per kg and two kgs of rice at Rs 3 per kg per month, he said, adding families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) would, however, continue to get 20 kgs of wheat and 15 kgs of rice per month.

Beneficiaries selected for AAY at Gram Sabha meetings on April 7 would be brought under the ambit of the new scheme, Singh said. Families covered under BPL, social security pensioners and Ann Purna Ann Yojana would also get benefit of the scheme.
Claiming that some well-off families had been included in BPL list in some areas, the Chief Minister asked panchayat members to weed out the names of ineligible persons.
A special Gram Sabha meeting would be held under the watch of two government observers to ensure that ineligible people were excluded from the list of beneficiaries and poor were included in it, he said.

Hailing the Food Security Scheme as historic, Singh said the scheme envisaged by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would ensure that no one remained hungry any more in the country.

Singh said providing subsidised ration remained his government's priority and the Food Subsidy Scheme launched in 2007, under which every ration card holder was provided pulses, edible oils and iodized salt, was still operational.
State Food and Civil Supplies Minister G S Bali said over 70 per cent beneficiaries had been identified under the Food Security Scheme while the remaining would be covered soon.
Singh said his government had enhanced the grant under Indira Awas Yojana and Rajiv Awas Yojana to Rs 75,000 from Rs 48,500, benefiting 10,000 families during this year.