NFSA scheme: State jabs Centre for not releasing Rs 10K crore

MP, 26 July 2024, Kolkata: State Food and Supplies minister Rathin Ghosh slammed the Centre for not disbursing Rs 10,000 crore for the last Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) in connection with implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) scheme in Bengal that includes mid-day meal and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). 

“We purchase paddy on behalf of the Centre for running the NFSA scheme as the Food Corporation of India (FCI) does not do so. As funds to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore were not received from the Centre for the last KMS, we bore the entire expenditure to ensure that mid-day meal and ICDS scheme is not affected. 

I have written to the concerned ministry on more than one occasion but funds were not released,” said Ghosh during the question answer session in the state Assembly on Thursday. There are 6.01 crore beneficiaries under NFSA in Bengal while 2.88 crore people avail of state scheme that includes RKSY I, RKSY II card holders and special package beneficiaries which comprise garden workers, people of Junglemahal and Aila-affected persons of Sunderbans. 

The minister informed that there has been an overwhelming response to the introduction of ‘Self Service to the Beneficiary’ that kicked off from February 5, 2024 through the department’s portal. In five months, 22 lakh people have availed this service.

“A beneficiary can do correction in name, address, age etc. through Form 5. They can change his/ her ration shop, surrender ration card by filling up Form 7; avail non subsidy card by filling Form 10 and can also link or delink mobile number. Bengal is the only state in the country to have introduced this facility,” Ghosh said. 

\The state has set a target of procuring 70 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in this KMS season that will end on September 30. The Food department has already purchased 51.42 lakh MT of paddy and has procured 28.85 lakh MT of rice. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/nfsa-scheme-state-jabs-centre-for-not-releasing-rs-10k-crore-573245