Odisha : Sundargarh gears up for additional free rice distribution
Odisha’s Sundargarh district is preparing to distribute an additional 5 kg rice per person monthly under the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana, covering 14.65 lakh beneficiaries. Ahead of the launch, 2.18 lakh quintals have been allocated, while rabi paddy procurement is set to begin from May 29.
ROURKELA: Ahead of the state-wide launch of the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana, the Sundargarh administration has geared up for distribution of additional five kg rice per individual every month under the public distribution system (PDS) in the tribal-dominated district.
The district has already received the three-month quota of around 2.18 lakh quintal rice to cover around 14.65 lakh beneficiaries. A senior official said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is likely to launch the new scheme at a state-level function soon. Hence, Sundargarh district has already started preparations for it.
Chief civil supplies officer (CCSO) Ajay Rath said lifting of PDS rice from nine warehouses of Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) in Sundargarh is underway. The monthly rice quota is getting positioned with 448 government retailers across the district. He said additional rice allotment for April, May and June, weighing around 2.18 lakh quintal, has been received.
On April 3, the CM had approved the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana for 2026-27 under which additional quantity of five kg rice per month will be distributed free of cost to beneficiaries already covered under the National Food Security Act and the State Food Security Scheme.
Meanwhile, the OSCSC has decided to continue procurement of paddy cultivated during the rabi crop season 2025-26 in Sundargarh.
The CCSO informed that procurement of rabi paddy would start from May 29 and continue till June 30. About 1,025 farmers have registered themselves and 29 paddy procurement centres would be made operational. “No paddy purchase target has been fixed for rabi marketing season 2025-26. However, we expect to procure 60,000 to 70,000 quintal in Sundargarh,” Rath added.
Procurement of rabi paddy was introduced for the first time in Sundargarh in the last season with total procurement of around 20,000 quintal.
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Source : The New Indian Express
