Happy meals in Mandya households

The State government’s ambitious programme Anna Bhagya has yielded encouraging results in Mandya district, benefitting over 4,47,386 families.

Statistics from the Department of Food and Civil Supplies show that beneficiaries have shown great interest in the scheme that was introduced on July 10 last year.

The project, aimed to below the poverty line (BPL) families in the district, was launched in Keelara village of the taluk. However, as on Wednesday, the project has reached 4,12,784 BPL cardholders and 34,602 Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries in the district.

The figures show that the government has provided 1,07,852 kg of rice, 23,051 kg of wheat and 7,558 kg of ragi to beneficiaries this month in Mandya.

Kumuda Girish, Deputy Director, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, said the scheme has come as help to those suffering from malnutrition.

Speaking to

The Hindu here on Wednesday, she said that the beneficiaries have been getting ragi from March this year.

The district has 727 fair price shops. Of them 167 function in Mandya taluk, 138 in Maddur, 109 in Malavalli, 100 in K.R. Pet, 95 in Nagamangala, 63 in Pandavapura and 55 are set up in Srirangapatna taluks.

Praising the significance of the scheme, Ms. Kumuda said that the discrepancies are less in Mandya in comparison with the other districts.

Merely two instances of Anna Bhagya rice seizure were reported in the district in last year. The Food Security Bill has curbed irregularities at fair price shops, K. Vasudev, manager of the department, said.

The department is contemplating introducing electronic weighing machines at fair price shops, Ms. Kumuda said.