Bengal Govt ensures food for all

Following are the major achievements with respect to food distribution through the public distribution system (PDS) by the Bengal Government during the rule of the Trinamool Congress, from 2011 to May 2017 (not in any order of preference):

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee initiated the Khadya Sathi food security scheme to provide rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg to around seven crore people, which is almost 90 per cent of the state’s population, including special packages for the people of the Jangalmahal region and the Hills, the Cyclone Aaila-affected, the farmers of Singur, workers and non-workers of closed tea gardens, the tribals of Totopara in Alipurduar district, and destitute and homeless people.

Allocation of foodgrains under PDS has been increased manifold during the last six years

Special drive in association with the Health and Family Welfare Department to provide free-of-cost nutritional support (package of 5 kg rice, 2.5 kg wheat, 1 kg masoor dal and 1 kg Bengal gram per month per month) to approximately 4,000 severely acute malnourished children and their mothers per annum

System of payment of sale proceeds of paddy directly to the farmers’ bank accounts through NEFT introduced in the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2016-17

In case of procurement of paddy through co-operative societies, in KMS 2016-17, CMR agencies are making direct payments of sale proceeds of paddy to the farmers within three days from the date of sale.

Major reforms in PDS, including the use of information technology (IT) in management of the PDS

Construction of model fair price (FP) shops in closed tea gardens

Storage capacity of grains distributed through PDS enhanced from 62,000 metric tonnes (MT) to 6 lakh MT

Robust grievance redressal system through toll-free helplines – 18003455505 and 1967

From financial year (FY) 2011-12 to FY 2017-18, plan outlay increased by 800 per cent