Uttar Pradesh govt provides free ration to over 82% of beneficiaries in December

Image credit: ANI

Lucknow: While ensuring transparency in the public distribution system, the Uttar Pradesh government has so far provided free ration to more than 82 percent of beneficiaries in the State for the month of December under its extended scheme.

Commissioner, Food and Supply Department Sourabh Babu informed, “Till the ninth day of December Regular (NFSA) distribution, a total of around 6,88,690.741 MT  of ration among the ration holders of Antyodaya and Eligible Households Category. Along with that, free of cost distribution of 29,276.142 MT of the other 3 commodities-chana, salt and oil have taken place so far.”

The Uttar Pradesh government is running its next phase of the ‘biggest campaign’ of free ration distribution, other than the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) under which along with wheat and rice, the ration card holders in Uttar Pradesh are receiving a litre of refined oil, and a kilo each of salt and pulses, free.

On behalf of the state government, CM Yogi declared free ration distribution until Holi on November 3 in Ayodhya. Later, the Central government also extended the ration distribution under PMGKAY till March 2022. In this way, the beneficiaries will now receive double benefits.

Notably, there are around 1,30,07,969 units of beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Ann Yojna and 13,41,77, 983 units under Eligible Household card holders.

While distribution through ePoS devices ensures that subsidised foodgrains are being provided to the rightful beneficiary through biometric authentication, the integration of ePoS devices with electronic weighing scales is ensuring that the beneficiary is given the right quantity of foodgrains by the fair price shop dealer.