After initial hiccups, the Telangana government has decided to join the free rice scheme of the Centre under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The Central scheme envisaged supply of five kgs of rice per head per month in a family to 54.44 lakh NFSA cardholders in the State. But, the State government will extend the scheme to an additional 35.52 lakh cardholders at its own cost.
The two types of cardholders had been getting the benefit of free rice under the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana under the Public Distribution System (PDS) till December 31. The Centre used to supply the rice at a subsidised price of ₹3 per kg but the Telangana government added its own subsidy of ₹2 a kg and took up PDS at ₹1 a kg.
With rice becoming totally free under the Central scheme from January 1, the Telangana government will bear the extra one rupee also and supply free rice to all the 89.96 lakh cardholders from January 5, sources said.
It was, however, not clear whether the State government will continue the six kgs per head per month supplies that it maintained under the PMGKA or restrict it to five kgs under the NFSA.
