Bhubaneswar, Oct 1 (IANS) The Odisha government has prolonged distribution of rice freed from value to the beneficiaries protected beneath its very own State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) for a period of every other three months.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed officials concerned to extend distribution of extra 5 kg of rice per month free of fee to beneficiaries of the SFSS from October 2022, Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated in a statement on Saturday.

The gain of five kg free rice turned into in advance prolonged for the beneficiaries of the State Food Security Scheme from December, 2021 to March, 2022 and once more for some other six months (April to September, 2022).

About 9.05 lakh beneficiaries of two.Ninety two lakh families included below the scheme can be benefited from this flow. For this motive, the state authorities will distribute thirteen,575 tonnes of rice from the nation pool with an expenditure of Rs 49 crore from its personal fund, it stated.

This will facilitate beneficiaries enrolled in the State Food Security Scheme to remain at par with beneficiaries below National Food Security Act (NFSA), source said.

Notably, the Union cupboard on September 28 had approved the concept to increase the unfastened foodgrains distribution scheme below the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) for 3 extra months i.E. October to December, 2022.

Under the PMGKAY, the Centre additionally gives an extra 5 kg of rice or wheat consistent with month to beneficiaries of the NFSA over and above their typical month-to-month quota without cost.