The BJP government in Chhattisgarh has come to a decision to provide free rice to poor families for the next five years beginning January 2024, a government official notified on December 26. This move is estimated to benefit more than 67 lakh beneficiaries, he said.
“The government arrived at a decision to distribute free rice to poor families for the next five years under the Chhattisgarh State Food Security Act on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to extend for five years under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana covering 80 crore poor people,” he said.
The Department of Food and Civil Supplies on December 26 released a directive to all district collectors on the direction of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, he said.
Instructions have been laid out for the free distribution of food grains as per the monthly entitlement for the next half of the decade starting from January 2024 to December 2028 to the people eligible for Antyodaya and priority category under the National Food Security Act.
This decision will serve 67,92,153 eligible ration card holders beneficiaries of Antyodaya priority, differently-Abled and single destitute categories who will get free rice through fair price shops as per eligibility, the official said.
