Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government will
launch an ambitious scheme for the sale of rice to the poorest
of the poor at Re 1 per kg on the state`s Foundation Day,
which falls on November 1.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy signed on the file
pertaining to the scheme on the occasion of the 142nd birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Sunday, a release from the Chief
Minister`s Office said here.
The scheme would benefit about 7.50 crore people in the
state, the release quoted Reddy as saying.
There are as many as 2.01 crore white card-holders (meant
for Antodaya Anna Yojana category families) under the Public
Distribution System (PDS) in the state and another 25 lakh
such cards would be distributed during the `Rachabanda`
mass-contact programme beginning from October 15, he said.
The Rs 2 per kg rice scheme presently being implemented in
the state entails an expenditure of Rs 2,000 crore per annum
and another Rs 600 crore would be necessary to implement the
new scheme, he added.
"The scheme is inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi
that poorer sections in society should be taken care of," the
release quoted Reddy as saying.
He also highlighted that the state government would
introduce more welfare programmes for the benefit of farmers,
women, youth, minorities, poor and the weaker sections of
society in the near future.
PTI
