The State government will supply 20 kgs of rice per head free of cost to all ration card holders in June and July put together in view of the adverse impact of COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
The 20 kgs will include 10 kgs normally given for two months at five kgs per month and an additional quota of 10 kgs. They will get 15 kgs in June and five kgs in July. As many 87.42 lakh card holders will get the rice free of cost in June. They include 33.86 lakh card holders who were not covered by Central schemes. A total of 2.79 crore people will benefit, said a press release of Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar.
For the June quota of 15 kgs which will be supplied from the 5th of the month, the government will supplement 2.53 lakh tonnes of rice to the regular monthly release of 1.78 lakh tonnes. The State government had supplied 12 kg rice free of cost to cardholders from May to October last during the first phase of the pandemic.
The decision to enhance supply was taken to avoid a repeat of hardship faced by poor due to lockdown. The card holders of of Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme of Centre who were supplied 35 kgs per month will get 10 kgs additionally while Annapurna card holders who were entitled to 10 kgs will get an additional 10 kgs.
Mr. Kamalakar added that the distribution was scheduled from June 5 to let fair price shop dealers vaccinated prior to that.
