The Union government has notified the National Food Security Ordinance, 2013, which entitles 67 per cent of the population to receive subsidised grains from the government every month.
The government of the National Capital Region of Delhi is vying to be the first to launch the scheme.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit met Minister of State (Independent) for Food K.V. Thomas on Monday to say that Delhi will be ready by mid-August to launch the programme. Delhi goes to polls at the end of the year along with four States.
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The ordinance places the responsibility of implementation and monitoring of the scheme under the Targeted Public Distribution System on the States. It gives them six months to put the systems in place to deliver the programme.