Odisha CM slams BJD on malnutrition issue
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the previous Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal government over the malnutrition issue.
Odisha cabinet on Monday approved the new food security scheme and decided to cover additional 25 lakh beneficiaries in the first phase from 2 October.
The one rupee per kg rice ration for the month of October will be extended to 25 lakh additional beneficiaries and the expenditure will be Rs 220 crore for the first six months, said chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi.
Briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting, Mr Padhi said of the 220 crore already Rs 140 crore has been sanctioned from the state’s own resources.
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It may be noted that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced the new food security scheme on Saturday. Mr Padhi said Chief Minister announced the Food Security scheme as the central government did not consider the state government’s request to increase upper ceiling of NFSA given the rise in population.
In 2011, as per central government’s direction 3,26,41,800 beneficiaries 78 per cent of the 2011 population of 4,19,74,218 were covered under the NFSA .
During the last seven years the population of the state had increased by 10.22 per cent to 4,62,63,983 in 2018. Given the percentage of increase over 34.44 lakh in the state will be deprived and hence the state has decided to include them.
The Chief Secretary said the government will provide 5 kg rice per person per month at one rupee.
A person has to apply within two months to be covered under the scheme. After scrutiny on 11 auto inclusion and nine auto exclusion criteria the beneficiaries will be selected.
While the NFSA launched in 2011 has six auto inclusion critieria– households of all primitive tribes, destitute, widows, single woman, disabled etc, the state has added a few more to the list like old aged, HIV patients, displaced , leprosy patients etc. Similarly, the auto-exclusion critieria has been revised.
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