Minister reviews progress of free distribution of ration to cardholders

New Delhi, May 14: Delhi Food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain on Friday reviewed the progress of free distribution of ration to public distribution system (PDS) cardholders in the national capital.

According to a government statement, Hussain held a high-level meeting to review the distribution progress under the National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna (PMGKAY) for the two months of May and June.

Earlier this month, the Delhi government had announced to provide free ration to 72 lakh ration card holders in the city for the next two months and financial assistance of `5,000 to auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to help people tide over the COVID-19 crisis.

“He also directed the officers to ensure that Fair Price Shop dealers adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour at all times in ration distribution. The officers of the F&S Department informed that field officers i.e. Assistant Commissioners, Food and Supplies Officers (FSOs) and Food and Supplies Inspectors (FSIs) have been deputed to regularly supervise and check FPSs for ensuring smooth, easy and hassle-free ration distribution,” the government said in the statement.

It said that the NFS beneficiaries under the PR and PRS category, who are provided with 5 kg of foodgrain every month under regular entitlement, will be given an additional 5 kg of foodgrain, including 4 kg of wheat and 1 kg of rice, in May and June.

The beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojna (AAY) will also receive the additional 5 kg of foodgrain for the two months.

“Each AAY household, in addition to a regular entitlement of 25 kg wheat and 10 kg rice per month, is additionally entitled for 4 kg wheat and 1 kg rice per member of the AAY household, free of cost per month for May 2021 and June 2021,” it said.

The minister added that the fair price shops will remain open on throughout the week from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm.