Bhubaneswar: In keeping with his earlier promise, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday launched his government’s flagship programme State Food Security Scheme through videoconferencing from the Secretariat here.
Naveen said, “I’m immensely happy to launch today the state government’s Food Security Scheme on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti being celebrated worldwide.”
Stating that his government has been providing Rs 2 per kg rice to the poor since 2008 and Re 1 per kg rice since 2013, the Chief Minister said, “During 2014 poll, we had promised to implement our state’s own Food Security Scheme. Today we have kept our promise. Hence, I feel very glad.”
“Now, 25 lakh poor people of our state will be benefited from this scheme. Each of them will get rice at Re1 per kg. Food Security is your right. Our government will ensure food security to all the poor,” he said.
Though the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was implemented in the state in 2014, lots of people were deprived of getting the benefit, he said, adding, “I have requested the Centre many times. Whenever I met common people, they requested me about this. Today I’ve kept my promise given to those poor people. It gives me immense pleasure.”
Naveen also said that funds will never be a constraint to provide service to the poor. “It is your (people of the state) money and being spent for your development. I won’t let a single poor person be deprived of food,” he assured.
Post launch, Naveen interacted with some beneficiaries of Bangamunda block in Bolangir district, Rajgangpur block in Sundargarh district, Khunta block in Mayurbhanj district and Jaleswar block in Balasore district.
“We have set a dynamic figure of 25 lakh for the scheme. Till now, about 18 lakh people have been included under the scheme while remaining 7 lakh will be covered in next eight to 10 days,” Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi told reporters after the event.
Padhi said a provision of Rs 221 crore has been made for the scheme in the budget for this year while it will be doubled from next year. Inclusion and exclusion will be a contentious process, he added.
