Rs 2 per kg rice scheme to be launched in AP today
Hyderabad: To ensure food security to the poor and needy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy will today launch the Rs 2 per kg rice scheme in the state at Jadcherla town in Mahaboobnagar District. Highlighting the importance of the scheme Reddy said, "It is one of the important measures to ensure food security for the poor. It shows our commitment to the welfare of the poor."
At least 1.85 crore families living below poverty line (BPL) and having white ration cards in the state would be entitled for rice under the scheme.
According to official sources, till now the white card holders were getting rice at Rs 5.25 per kg through fair price shops with state exchequer carrying the burden of nearly Rs 900 crores per year. The new rice scheme is expected to put an additional annual burden of over Rs 1,000 crores.
Three days in a month are to be set aside for rice distribution with each family scheduled to get 20 kg per month till June 2008. From July onwards, the rice would be distributed on the first three days of the month.
Former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder, N T Rama Rao, first introduced the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme after assuming power in the state in 1983. He had then reduced the price of rice at fair price (FP) shops from Rs 3.25 to Rs 2 per kg. It was later modified by the Chandrababu Naidu government in the mid-1990s.
At least 1.85 crore families living below poverty line (BPL) and having white ration cards in the state would be entitled for rice under the scheme.
According to official sources, till now the white card holders were getting rice at Rs 5.25 per kg through fair price shops with state exchequer carrying the burden of nearly Rs 900 crores per year. The new rice scheme is expected to put an additional annual burden of over Rs 1,000 crores.
Three days in a month are to be set aside for rice distribution with each family scheduled to get 20 kg per month till June 2008. From July onwards, the rice would be distributed on the first three days of the month.
Former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder, N T Rama Rao, first introduced the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme after assuming power in the state in 1983. He had then reduced the price of rice at fair price (FP) shops from Rs 3.25 to Rs 2 per kg. It was later modified by the Chandrababu Naidu government in the mid-1990s.