Food Security Act will benefit around 8.71 crore people in Bihar which will be the first state to implement it, the state Assembly was told today.
Food Minister Shyam Rajak, replying to debate on grant for his department, said it will also have highest coverage at 8.71 crore of the total 10.38 crore population of the state.
The population covered included 6.9 crore rural people and 70 lakh people living in urban areas, Rajak said.
All households figuring in the ongoing socio-economic caste census would be provided ration cards for coverage under the Act, he said, adding that the number of beneficiaries will touch the mark of 8.71 crore after issuance of the new ration cards.
He said that a scheme has been launched at a cost of Rs 388 crore to ensure doorstep delivery with the food and civil supply corporations to make food grains available through a chain of shops under the PDS.
Rajak said that a state and district-level grievances cell would be set up to prevent any anomaly.
