Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday (July 28) announced that the state will launch its own Food Security Act on Oct 2, on occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
Here is everything you need to know about Odisha’s own Food Security Act:
1. The state Food Security Act will cover around 34.44 lakh people who have been left out under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
2. Speaking via a video message at ‘Ama Mukhyamantri, Ama Katha’ (Our Chief Minister, Our Issues), Patnaik said his government has always prioritized food security for the poor.
3. The state government launched a scheme in 2008 where rice was provided at Rs. 2 per kg.
4. The success of the initiative, prompted the Patnaik Cabinet to announce another scheme in 2013 where rice was provided at Rs.1 per kg to people living Below Poverty Line (BPL).
5. Patnaik said after the launch of Odisha Food Security Act on Oct 2, not a single poor will be deprived of food.
6. He said the state needed to have its own Act as the Centre was providing ration as per the 2011 Census, while beneficiaries have increased with rising population. Thus, lakhs of poor were reportedly being deprived of the benefits under NFSA.
7. Pertinently, Patnaik had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 23 regarding the problem.
8. In his letter to the PM, Patnaik wrote: “In 2011 Census data, the rate of growth of population of Odisha was 14 per cent in the last decade. In 2018, the population of Odisha has increased by 10.22 per cent as compared to 2011. It is estimated that the total population of Odisha in 2018 would be 4,62,63, 983. Allowing the same percentage of coverage as was decided when the Act came into force, we are entitled to cover 3,60,85,907 beneficiaries under the NFSA Act.”
9. He had reportedly asked the PM to sanction additional food supplies for 34.44 lakh beneficiaries.
10. However, the Odisha CM said no step was taken to address the issue and hence he had to ensure his state becomes self-sufficient.