25% jump in BPL beneficiaries, 36.18 Lakh benefited with NFSC in Hyderabad

25% jump in BPL beneficiaries, 36.18 Lakh benefited with NFSC in Hyderabad

City saw a 25 per cent jump in the beneficiaries availing the National Food Security scheme When income eligibility for below poverty line (BPL) families under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for availing Food Security Cards (FSC) was raised from Rs 75,000 to Rs 2 lakh per annum.

During implementation of NFSA, the department received applications from 9.42 lakh families for the benefit but it rejected 1.25 lakh applications.

To curb loopholes in public distribution system, now the government is mulling rationalisation of Fair Price Shops.

Currently, as per records of the civil supplies department, there are 8.09 lakh families in Hyderabad availing of Food security scheme – the number of families holding ration cards in July 2014 in the city was 6.88 lakh. However, it was brought down to 6.29 lakh in December last year after Aadhaar seeding. Nonetheless, the number again increased to 8.09 lakh following the new norm for BPL families.

The FSCs are yet to be distributed. “Temporary FSCs are being issued for the beneficiaries since March this year and families too are getting benefited”, said  Bharathi Hollikeri, chief rationing officer, Hyderabad.

The CRO explained that Telangana has been a frontrunner in the implementation of NFSA. “Instead of NFSA directed 5 kg rice at Rs 3 per kg, Telangana government is providing 6 kg rice per person at Rs 1 a kg,” she said.

As per information with the Chief Rationing Officer, Hyderabad, 1,73,03,799 kg of subsidised rice is consumed by BPL families in Hyderabad jurisdiction every month.