Mamata launches food security scheme

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that her government will bring 7 crore people in the state under a food security scheme.

The Cabinet decision, which was ratified on Friday, will cost the state exchequer nearly a staggering Rs 8,000 crore.

“Currently our government gives rice at Rs 2 per kg to 3.33 crore people in the state. We’re starting a new scheme for food security from January 27 under which three crore additional people will be included in the system and will get wheat and rice at Rs 2 per kg,” Banerjee told reporters after a Cabinet meeting. With the population of Bengal standing at around nine crore, the new scheme brings almost 80 percent of them under food security.

The chief minister said her government would supply subsidised food grains to 1.7 crore people not enlisted under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

“We’ll give 5 kg of food grains at Rs 2 a kg to seven crore people every month from January 27. Another 70 lakh people will receive 1 kg of rice every month at a subsidised rate,” she said. The 5 kg of grains include 3 kg of wheat and 2 kg of rice. The move would cost the exchequer some Rs 2,000 crore annually.