Food security: Coverage spreads to 14 lakh beneficiaries

Kohima Bureau Kohima, March 27 (EMN): The department of Food and Civil Supplies which implements the National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) since 2016, is reported to be covering a total 14,03,579 beneficiaries across the state. The NFSA aims to provide food and nutritional security at affordable prices to eligible beneficiaries. Records from the department’s annual administrative report (2017-18) revealed that there are 14,03,579 total beneficiaries covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Household (PHH) categories of the scheme. 11,93,922 total population is covered under the PHH scheme against 2,37,434 PHH ration cards. Under this scheme, each beneficiary is provided 5 kg of rice at the rate of INR 3 per kg. Whereas, 2,09,657 people are covered under AAY against 47,500 ration cards. The AAY scheme provides each household with 35 kg of rice at the rate of INR 3 per kg. The report states that monthly allocation of food grains from the central pool under the NFSA 2013 is 5969.61 MT of rice under PHH and 1622.50 MT of rice under AAY. As per the department, there are 76 public distribution centres (PDCs) and 1622 fair price shops (FPSs) in the state. The district-wise distribution of the total population covered under the PHH and AAY together is: 295843 under Dimapur, 55974 under Kiphire, 134320 under Kohima, 39044 under Longleng, 145431 under Mokokchung, 192909 under Mon, 59660 under Peren, 114020 under Phek, 149634 under Tuensang, 110354 under Wokha and 106390 under Zunheboto. Meanwhile, the department also highlighted that as per central government policy, each district is to have one Food Storage Depot (FSD) of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), however, there are only four FSDs in the state, besides one owned by the CWC and state-owned departmental godowns in various districts. The four FSDs are located at Dimapur (CWC and FCI owned) with 10134 MT storage capacity, and one each in Mokokchung, Tuensang and Mon ranging from 2200 to 2500 MT capacities.