Odisha to give free rice & pulses to poor people under state food security scheme

Keeping in view the difficulties faced by the poor people due to lockdown and shutdown, the Odisha government on Tuesday decided to distribute free of cost rice and pulses to the beneficiaries under the State Food Security Scheme(SFSS), an official said.

The decision in this regard was taken at a review meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The CM directed the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department to provide five kg of rice free of cost to each beneficiary of the SFSS.

Noting that the pandemic has adversely affected the livelihood of the poor people, the official said, it has been decided to provide five kg of rice per head for five months apart from one kg of dal per family for five months.

Lakhs of people excluded from the National Food Security Act will be benefited from the state governments decision. The free ration will be distributed for the five months from July, the official said.

Meanwhile, the district administration of Keonjhar has decided to provide free textbooks, uniforms and mid-day meal (MDM) to all Class 9 and Class 10 students of state-run schools and aided schools in the tribal dominated district.

The facilities will be provided to the students from this academic year under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), an official said.