GUWAHATI, Feb 19 - The State government will formally launch the ANNA (affordable nutrition & nourishment assistance) scheme under which beneficiaries will receive rice at Re 1 per kilogram from March 1.
Interacting with samabay samiti representatives here today, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the current distribution system under the National Food Security Act will not be disturbed.
The samabay samitis will get the same transportation cost and commission. However, instead of Rs 3 per kg, they will lift the rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) through a challan of Rs 1 per kg.
�The State government will pay the remaining Rs 2 to the FCI directly. We have already released Rs 54 crore to the FCI for the purpose,� Sarma said, adding that the scheme will cost the government Rs 27 crore per month.
The scheme is expected to benefit 53 lakh families � those having ration cards � who are currently getting rice at Rs 3 under the NFSA, the minister said, adding, the scheme will be launched formally by the samabay samitis on February 28.
Under the second component of ANNA, four lakh card holders in tea garden areas will get free rice from March 1. �We have identified four lakh cards which belong to tea garden areas. They will be given free rice. But the transportation cost and commission of the samabay samitis will be the same,� he said.
The minister informed that the government also plans to provide two kilograms of free sugar to ration card holders in tea garden areas, and the scheme will be launched soon.
