The West Bengal government has decided to provide subsidised food grains and ration cards to the homeless.
"The state government has decided to provided four kg of rice and four kg wheat at Rs 2 per kg to each homeless person and beggar," Food Supplies minister Jyotipriyo Mullick said today.
"We will provide them with ration cards under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)," he said.
"It has been started in Kolkata and the KMC has been asked to identify the homeless who are eligible. In the first phase, 1,490 families have been identified by KMC of which 1,391 have been given AAY ration cards," Mullick said.
He said in the second and third phases, 94 and 117 families have been distributed AAY rations cards.
The department also opened shops named 'roudra bristi' (sun and rain) where branded non-PDS items would be sold at a subsidised rate.
About 228 branded items would be sold in these shops at a discount of 10 per cent, Mullick said.
The items would include soap, food grain, rice, wheat, health drinks, biscuits, tea, besides pens and notebooks.
Mullick said the state government planned to set up about 300 such shops across the state.
