Govt to restart relief for 1,500k poor people

BARMER: The state government has planned to relaunch the relief campaign for 15,58,000 poor people in Rajasthan, who are not covered in the National Food Security Scheme.

According to the plan, the government will provide food grains to such people through the public distribution system (PDS).

Earlier, the government, under a relief campaign, had provided food grains to the destitute people during the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown.

Ashok Kumar Sankhla, deputy commissioner at food and civil supplies department, informed district collectors about the restart of relief campaign on January 1.

In his order, Sankhla wrote, “Recently the chief minister has directed that presently there are many people in the state who are still destitute and needy and who have no availability of food grains and other required things. On the basis of the survey conducted during the start of Covid crisis, CM has directed to conduct a new survey for identification and help of these people.”

Sankhla said that following the chief minister’s order, the department has conducted a survey and identified 15.36 lakh needy people of 4.14 lakh families, who are not covered in the food security scheme. The government has decided to extend one time support of 10 kg wheat and 2 kg gram free-of-cost to these families, he wrote.

The government has directed

deputy commissioner

the district officials to arrange food grains for the needy people from various ongoing welfare schemes, while directing them not to make any additinal procurement. It has directed the officials to inform the beneficiary through mobile messages.

The beneficiaries have been directed to follow the Covid guidelines and carry their ‘Jan Aadhaar or Aadhaar Card’ while approaching the ration dealer to get the food grains. District collectors will appoint two government employees on each ration shop during the food distribution to supervise the food distribution work.

In June last year, the government had provided food grains to 3.57 lakh needy people, who were not covered under the National Food Security Scheme. At that time, the government provided 5 kg wheat per person every month for two months. But now the government has decided to give 10 kg wheat and 2 kg gram to each family.