57 lakh beneficiaries to get 10kg additional ration at subsidized rate: LG Manoj Sinha

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 9 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced that 10 kg rice will be provided at subsided rates to over 57 lakh priority household under the Prime Minister's Food Supplementation scheme in order to "strengthen food security for marginal sections of society".
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Saturday, Sinha said, "The new scheme would extend the monthly food availability to the PHH category at a subsidized rate, ensuring that it does not exceed 35 kg per household".
The scheme would cost the exchequer Rs 180 crore a year, officials said.
Officials from LGO's office informed, for the additional allocation, J&k govt will procure the rice from Government of India at Rs 34 per kg and it will be provided to the beneficiaries at Rs 25 per kg, thus ensuring subsidy of Rs 9 per kg.
"We are starting a new scheme named 'Prime Minister's Food Supplementation for Priority Households'," he said.
Officials further informed that under the new scheme, a PHH with one beneficiary will get an additional allocation of 5 kgs and a PHH with beneficiaries ranging from 2-5 will get an additional 10 kgs each month while maintaining maximum allocation per household.
The L-G further said that in the Priority Households (PHH) category, there are 14.32 lakh ration card holders with about 57.24 lakh beneficiaries.
"The new scheme would strengthen food security for marginal sections of society. It would ensure accessibility, affordability & availability of adequate quantity of food to Priority Households," officials further informed. (ANI)