Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar on Saturday became the first state to launch the National Food Security Act (NFSA), which guarantees foodgrains at nominal prices to those living below the poverty line. It was launched in four districts of the state.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar launched the centrally-sponsored scheme at a function near Masaurhi sub-divison of Patna district.
Speaking on the occasion he said 84%, that is, 6.90 crore of the rural below poverty line people and 74%, that is 70 lakh urban BPL population would be the beneficiaries of the scheme.
It has been launched for Patna, Gopalganj, Purnea and Nalanda districts. It would be launched all over the state after three weeks when the Food Corporation of India would allocate the state foodgrains.
The chief minister also promised that 40 lakh BPL families, which were left out in a survey that determines eligibility for food security scheme, would be entitled to subsidised foodgrains.
As per the Act the beneficiaries would get five kg of foodgrains every month––wheat at Rs. 2 per kg, rice at Rs. 3 per kg and coarse cereal at Rs one per kilo.
Under NFSA, each beneficiary is a unit, unlike in targeted PDS, where the family is treated as a unit.
The chief minister conceded that though five kg of foodgrains is not enough, it would spare some money for the poor to spend on other nutrients.
Meanwhile, the Congress and BJP called the launch as the cheap popularity of the Nitish government. The Congress party said that the state government wants to take credit of this centrally-sponsored scheme in which Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, herself took personal initiative.
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