Bhubaneswar, January 3: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced to provide rice free of cost to State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) beneficiaries for one more year from January 2023 to December 2023.
The announcement was made in the wake of the Union Cabinet’s decision to distribute free food grains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for one year.
“As per the direction of CM, the State Government has now decided to provide 5-kg entitlement of rice under SFSS to the beneficiaries free of cost for a period of 12 months starting January 2023. The total expenditure of Rs 185 crore will be met from State exchequer,” stated a CMO communique.
The State Government has been distributing 5 kg of rice per person per month to the left-out eligible beneficiaries covered under the State scheme called ‘State Food Security Scheme at Re 1 per kg since October 2018. Now, it will be free of cost, it added.
These beneficiaries have also been provided with additional rice and pulses during the last 28 months of prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation in the State. Besides, Rs 1000 cash incentive was given to each family under National Food Security Act and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) twice.
