Bhubaneswar: With an aim to strengthen the food security scheme Odisha Chief Minister today launched ‘One Nation, One Ration’ scheme across the State. As the scheme comes into effect, people of Odisha will be able to purchase essential commodities at public distribution shops outside the State. Residents of other States will be able to get the commodities in Odisha as well.
Beneficiaries will get the commodities at 10,578 public distribution shops in the State.
Speaking on the occasion through virtual platform Patnaik said, “Everyone has the right to live with dignity. No one can take away the right from poor section of the society. Through various programmes we have been safeguarding the right of people. Our efforts to achieve the purpose for the poor section will continue.”
The Chief Minister also launched another programme under which vitamin-laced rice will be provided to people in Malkangiri district on pilot basis. He hoped the vitamin-laced rice containing Vitamin B-12 and Folic Acid will be quite helpful to improve the health of girls and women.
As many as 93 lakh families and 3.5 crore people have been benefitted with the State Food Security programme, which is the State government’s biggest welfare scheme. The State government has been providing rice at Rs 2/kg since 2008 and Re 1/kg from 2013, informed the Chief Minister.
“Our aim is to ensure no poor gets deprived from the food security scheme,” he added.
Among others, Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tusarakanti Behera, Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha, Science and Technology Minister Ashok Panda, Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra and other senior officials were present in the programme.
The ‘One Nation, One Ration’ programme was earlier implemented in Bhubaneswar town on pilot basis.