Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 23 (EMN): A total of 14, 03,579 (14.03 lakh) people in Nagaland are covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA 2013), which aims to provide food and nutritional security at affordable prices to eligible beneficiaries. The Act was implemented in the state in July 2016.
According the department of Food and Civil Supply’s annual administrative report for 2021-22, the erstwhile Below Poverty line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) were amalgamated and termed as Priority Household (PHH) and based on the Census 2011, in line with the Central guidelines, a total of 2,37,434 PHH and 47500 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme beneficiaries were identified, covering a total population of 14,03,579.
Further, it stated that under the PHH scheme, each beneficiary is provided 5 kg of rice at INR 3 per kg and under the AAY scheme, each household is provided 35 kg of rice at INR 3 per kg.
The department also informed that the monthly allocation of food grains from the Central pool under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA 2013) is 76,321.10 quintal (q) (i.e. 59,696.10 q of rice under PHH and 16,625.00 q of rice under AAY).
The data also revealed that as on March 1, 2022, there were 1679 fair price shops (FPSs) -- 1369 FPS in rural and 310 FPS in urban areas.
Besides rice, according to the provisions of the Ministry, 1 kg of sugar from the Public Distribution System (PDS) is allocated to the AAY ration card (RC) holders at INR 22.45 kg. It also stated that monthly allocation of Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) to the state is 705 kilolitre to districts and sub-divisions.