19.92 lakh beneficiaries begins
To extend benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma kickstarted the distribution process of ration cards to over 19.92 lakh beneficiaries. These beneficiaries will now be eligible to avail free food grains every month.
The process of selecting 19,92,167 new beneficiaries and issuing new ration cards to these families began on the day of launching of Orunodoi 3.0 scheme. The State Government plans to integrate the Orunodoi scheme with the ration card system.
Submission of applications began on September 19 and it will end on October 15 this year. Those with a family income of less than ₹4 lakh per annum can apply as prospective beneficiaries.
The National Food Security Act of 2013 aims to ensure food security for India’s population, providing free rice to over 800 million people nationwide. In Assam, 2,31,97,608 beneficiaries currently receive free rice under the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), covering 66,86,845 households.
The scheme offers two types of cards based on financial status: the Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) card and the Priority Household (PHH) card.
According to the 2011 Census, the Union Government set a target of 2,51,89,775 beneficiaries for Assam under the Food Security Act. To meet this target, an additional 19,92,167 individuals need to be included.
The State Government has distributed the new beneficiary targets among districts, with quotas set on the number of Assembly constituencies in each district.
Interested applicants can submit forms as per the Assam Food Security Rules 2022. The Verification Committee at the Gaon Panchayat or Municipality level will prepare the beneficiary list, which will then be approved by the District Commissioner, Guardian Minister, and Chief Executive Member of the Council. These details will be digitised in the Ration Card Management System (RCMS).
The process began under the supervision of the Food, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs Department across all districts and subdivisions.
