Free rice will be provided from New Year: Approximately 68 lakh families to benefit

Raipur The Chhattisgarh government has decided to provide free rice from the New Year. The Sai government will provide free rice to poor families for 5 years starting from January , 2024. Under this decision, 67,92,153 ration cardholder families in the state will benefit. The Food Department has issued letters to all collectors in the state for this purpose. Free rice will be provided to people through fair price shops (government ration shops). Earlier, during the BJP government that lasted for 15 years, Dr. Raman Singh had gained popularity by initiating a plan to provide rice at the rate of 1 rupee per kilogram, known as the “Chawar Wale Baba.” In the Sai government, rice will be provided free, without even charging one rupee. Collectors have been directed along with the announcement of free rice to implement it. Around 68 lakh beneficiaries from the state’s Antyodaya, Priority, Destitute, and Single Homeless categories will be eligible under this decision. Ration cardholders will receive free rice from government fair price shops according to their eligibility. A letter regarding this has been issued by the Ministry of Food, Civil Supplies, and rice will be available for free until 2028. Before the elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the extension of the free ration scheme for another five years from Durg, Chhattisgarh. Subsequently, approval was also given by the central cabinet to enhance the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Under this scheme, the poor in the country receive five kilograms of ration free every month. Similarly, the Sai government has now directed the distribution of rice for five years to ration cardholders in Chhattisgarh under the Food and Nutrition Security Act, for the Antyodaya, Priority, Destitute, and Single Homeless categories. Until now, a family used to receive a maximum of 35 kilograms of rice at the rate of 1 rupee. In Durg, Prime Minister Modi had also announced the extension of the free grain scheme across the country for five years. Under the Food Security Act, different categories of ration cards are issued. Different benefits are provided based on rates and content in each of them. In the state, there are: 14,92,438 cardholders in the Antyodaya category 52,46,656 cardholders in the Priority category 37,708 cardholders in the Single Homeless category 15,351 cardholders in the Destitute category Additionally, there are APL cardholders in the state. Above the poverty line (APL) cardholders receive rice at the rate of 10 rupees per kilogram.