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The Maharashtra government would launch the United Progressive Alliance’s ambitious food security scheme from December in the state.
Of the state's 112 million population, 70 million beneficiaries would be covered under the scheme. The government proposes to scrap the yellow, white and saffron ration cards currently in use under the public distribution scheme. These cards would be replaced by bar coded smart cards having the photograph of the family’s head.
Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anil Deshmukh told Business Standard: “The decision to launch the scheme was taken after a recent meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Union Minister for Food K V Thomas. Of the 70 million beneficiaries, 75 per cent come from the rural areas and 50 per cent from the urban areas. Procurement of 3,48,000 tonnes of food grain worth Rs 900 crore would be needed every month for its implementation.”
Deshmukh said the state government had undertaken massive computerisation. Besides, the SMS scheme had been introduced whereby information with regard to the monthly food grain supply in the respective areas would be sent to the ration card holder.
Deshmukh added that the government would be setting up state- and district-level Food Security Commissions to redress grievances faced by the beneficiaries. "Employees will be fined Rs 5,000 for the dereliction of duties," he claimed.
Deshmukh said the state government in association with the Centre had undertaken construction of 611 godowns at an investment of Rs 2,000 crore to store 1.35 million tonnes of foodgrains. "Necessary funds have been mobilised through National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Nabard). These godowns will help avoid wastage of foodgrains for want of storage facility," he noted.
According to the minister, Maharashtra is among the few states that has launched a Food grains Guarantee Scheme (FGS) to address issues relating to the diversion of foodgrains during transportation. The scheme envisages transportation of three month's stock of foodgrains of a village at one go. The grains are distributed to the beneficiaries in the presence of six members -- three from the village vigilance committee and three from among the villagers themselves. Foodgrain distribution is done on the seventh day of every month which is declared as Food Day, the minister said.
