Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday reaffirmed her government’s commitment to ensuring food security, saying its initiatives have become a model for the country.
Banerjee highlighted the state government’s flagship Khadya Sathi project, under which 8.30 crore people now receive free ration. “For this, we have spent Rs 1.05 lakh crore,” she said. She also noted the success of the Duare Ration (ration at doorstep) project, which delivers food grains directly to nearly 7.40 crore people every month. The remaining consumers collect food grains from ration shops as per their convenience and preference. “For this, we have spent Rs 1,500 crore,” she added.
Referring to the Maa project, Banerjee said poor people are provided meals at just Rs 5. She also highlighted
the government’s record procurement of 56.36 lakh metric tons of paddy this year to supply rice for Khadya Sathi, benefiting 17 lakh small and marginal farmers.