Meghalaya govt implements "food for all" scheme

Shillong, Jun 13 (UNI) The Meghalaya government had implemented the 'Antyodaya Anna Yojana' and 'Annapurna scheme' to achieve food security for all for a ''hunger-free India'' and to make the public distribution system more beneficial to the ''poorest of the poor'' in rural and urban areas.

The AAY scheme which was implemented in Meghalaya on November 2001 have benefitted 28,100 families in the state. The Deputy Commissioners/Sub-Divisional Officers through Block Development Schemes had fixed the number of beneficiaries.

The number of beneficiaries has since been raised to 52,600 families.

In the current year, the Meghalaya government proposed to raise the number of beneficiaries to 72,100 families.

The scheme envisages supply of 35 kgs of rice per month to families below poverty line at Rs 3 per kg.

The state government will bear the transportation cost, handling costs and other incidental charges, including the commission, to the dealers at Rs 50 per quintal.

The Meghalaya government had also implemented the 'Annapurna scheme', providing food security to destitute senior citizens not covered under the 'National Old Age Pension scheme'. Under this scheme, the Meghalaya government provides 10 kg of foodgrains free of cost to 9263 beneficiaries.

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