BPL goods urged to give cheaper food grains to APL card holders
Discussion with Union Food Minister in video conferencing
Raipur, 22 May 2020. Union Food Minister Shri Ram Vilas Paswan reviewed the foodgrains system in various states of the country through video conferencing during the nationwide lockdown. Shri Paswan appreciated the effective measures and food distribution system taken in Chhattisgarh for protection from corona virus infection during lockdown. Shri Paswan said that Chhattisgarh has achieved significant success in providing food grains to the people. Appropriate arrangements for transport, food and health for migrant laborers arriving in Chhattisgarh are praiseworthy.
Food Minister Shri Amarjeet Bhagat said during video conferencing that 24 lakh metric tonnes of rice has been allowed to be taken from Chhattisgarh to the Central Pool. It requested the Union Food Minister to increase it to 32 lakh MT. Mr. Paswan has given positive answers regarding raising 8 lakh MT of rice in the Centrel Pool. FCI has also agreed to take additional rice. Shri Bhagat has requested to extend 5 kg of free rice per member to the poor families for three more months under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. He urged to give cheaper rice to the general families holding APL card, just like BPL card holders in Chhattisgarh. Mr. Bhagat said that after the lockdown, about 40 thousand new ration cards have been made in the state, which were the migrants who came back from other states. On these ration cards also the migrant laborers should be given the benefit of the Government of India scheme. Shri Bhagat has requested the sugar factories of Chhattisgarh to give a separate quota of sugar to the state for distribution through PDS. Shri Bhagat informed that the distribution of gram in Chhattisgarh is for April and May is being distributed. Food grains are also being provided to the migrant workers coming from other states of the country in the state. There is no shortage of food grains anywhere in the state. Shri Bhagat thanked the Union Minister for the cooperation he had done for Chhattisgarh. On this occasion, Dr. Kamalpreet Singh, Secretary, Food Department, Special Secretary Mr. Manoj Kumar Soni, MD Naan Mr. Niranjan Das and other officials were present.
