State to provide free ration to 10 cr beneficiaries till Jun '21
Kolkata: As per the announcement of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the state government on Wednesday issued order to provide free-of-cost ration to all 10 crore beneficiaries in Bengal till June 2021 in the wake of COVID-19.
As per the notification issued by the state Food and Supplies department on Wednesday, the state government "has now decided to provide free-of-cost ration to all PDS beneficiaries (Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Priority Households (PHH)/State Priority Ration Cards (SPHH), Rajya Khadya Suraksha Yojana (RKSY) I and II) as per their normal entitlement including special package entitlement for the months of August 2020 to June 2021 through the Public Distribution System in public interest."
It was on June 30, the Chief Minister had said: "We had earlier announced the distribution of distributing free-of-cost ration till September that started from April. In the initial three months only 5 kg rice to each was distributed and in subsequent three months people will be getting 5 kg rice and atta. They have announced it till November. I am extending it till June 2021, so that the people of Bengal do not face any problem in getting food during this critical time."
Since the Centre extends support to give free-of-cost ration to 6.01 crore card holders in Bengal under AAY, PHH and SPHH and the state government provides the same to 3.97 crore beneficiaries under RKSY I and II. On June 30, Banerjee had ensured free-of-cost ration for the 3.97 crore beneficiaries till June 2021 and had stated that the state government will consider whether the same can be given to the entire 10 crore people after September.
But Wednesday's notification states that the state government has taken a step ahead and decided to give free-of-cost ration to the entire 10 crore beneficiaries till June 2021.
It may be recalled that the Chief Minister's announcement of free-of-cost ration came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on extending distribution of free-of-cost ration till November. Even from Martyrs' Day virtual rally, Banerjee announced that if Trinamool Congress is voted to power ration, education and health care system will be free forever.
