DIBRUGARH, April 11 - Amid the lockdown, the district administration here with the help of Dibrugarh Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department has started the process of distribution of 5 kilograms of free rice per person to the NFSA card holder families under Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana, so that poor people do not face any problem for foodgrains during the lockdown period.
The rice to be provided under the scheme will be in addition to the already allotted regular rice under the NFSA. A total of 2,58,031 NFSA card holder families in the district are expected to get benefit under the scheme for three months, among whom 55210.40 quintals of free rice will be distributed during this month, a release stated.
The district administration also informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the process of account transfer of the retail selling price per LPG cylinder amounting to Rs 746 to 30152 out of 94864 selected beneficiaries in the district has also been completed. It came into effect soon after the government�s decision to provide free LPG cylinders for three months to all the beneficiaries of PM Ujjwala Yojana intending to provide relief to thousands of poor.
Further, measures have been taken up by the administration with the help from Social Welfare department and several NGOs to provide shelter with free cooked food and other essential commodities to the 40 homeless and mentally-challenged persons including 6 women and 2 children in the town.
Besides, the district administration has so far distributed around Rs 1.49 crore in cash benefiting nearly 14,935 rural poor households, under the Assam government�s initiative to provide one-time financial assistance of Rs 1000 to poor households, who do not have ration cards and are also not covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013. Under the scheme, distribution of Rs 1000 one-time financial assistance to another 3223 poor families, living in four Municipal Board areas across the district including Dibrugarh Municipal Board has also been completed till date. This scheme will benefit poor families like daily wage earners, homeless, etc., during the nationwide lockdown, due to which the families do not have immediate means to support their livelihood and have run out of money.
Similarly, in view of the ongoing 21-day countrywide lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak, the first instalment of Rs 500 has been credited to over 3,72, 049 Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan accounts of poor women in the district as part of a relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna . The ex-gratia payment of Rs 500 will be credited to women PMJDY account holders for another two months.
Again, efforts for providing food and other essential commodities to poor and needy families like daily wage earners, rickshaw pullers, slum dwellers, etc., of the district, who don�t have NFSA cards are also going on in the district under the direct supervision of Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner, Pallav Gopal Jha. �We are receiving data of non-NFSA families from different organizations and other sources. We are verifying them with circle offices and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department and providing assistance to each family in a phased manner,� DC Jha stated in the release.
A total of 4947 poor families living below poverty line have so far benefited rice, dal and other essential commodities from the administration. Keeping in mind the hardships they have been facing due to the ongoing lockdown, 896 persons of 209 families under various revenue circles of Dibrugarh district have received relief materials as part of an initiative by the district administration through the respective Circle Offices. Moreover, the district administration has, with the help of Dibrugarh district police, various Government departments, NGOs, PSUs and others distributed relief materials among 4738 families in various parts of the district. The process of distribution of relief materials will continue as and when information about the same is received.
Similarly, the process of disbursement of advance monthly pension up to July to 7,768 widows under Indira Miri Universal Widow Pension Scheme has also been completed in order to provide financial support to the beneficiaries.
Information about any such families not covered under NFSA and not owning ration cards issued by the Government, who have neither received relief material provided by the district administration nor the one-time financial grant of Rs 1000 being distributed by Block Development Officers/ Municipal Boards, may be sent to 94353-58371 or 0373-2312940 or via e-mail to [email protected]. Appropriate action will be initiated by the administration on receipt of such list of persons after proper scrutiny and necessary verification through the department concerned, the release added.
