NEW DELHI, March 17 � Lobbing the ball back into the court of the Assam Government, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan today said once the State government implements the National Food Security Act (NFSA), all beneficiaries, including tea workers, identified by the State would be entitled to the prescribed quantity of foodgrains.
Paswan said the Government of India allocates foodgrains (rice and wheat) to Assam under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Further responsibility for proper identification of beneficiaries, issuance of ration cards to them within the ceiling prescribed under the TPDS, lifting of the allocated foodgrains and their proper distribution within the State to the eligible beneficiaries through the network of fair price shops rests with the State government.
It has been intimated by the Government of Assam that NFSA ration cards have been issued to all selected beneficiaries including tea garden workers.
In a Lok Sabha reply, Paswan said the Centre had enacted the NFSA, which provides highly subsidised foodgrains to the beneficiaries identified by the respective state government under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and priority categories as per 2011 population estimates.
