Maharashtra Govt begins ration distribution to saffron ration card holders for May & June

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that state government has started the distribution of foodgrains to Saffron (Kesri) cardholders for the next two months. Uddhav Thackeray has mentioned that the wheat will be sold at Rs 8/kg whereas rice will be given at Rs. 12/kg.

Maharashtra Government has started distributing 3kg of wheat at ₹8/kg & 2kg rice ₹12/kg to 3 Crore saffron ration card holders for May and June. About 4.5 lakh metric tonnes will be distributed.

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) April 24, 2020

The Maharashtra government will distribute 4.5 lakh metric tonnes of ration, which will benefit more than three crore people living in Maharashtra.

On this Wednesday, Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal announced that food grains will be home delivered to those who possess a saffron ration card (Kesari ration card) for the next two months at subsidised rates.

Chhagan Bhujbal held a meeting of district supply officers across Maharashtra via video conferencing and directed the officials to ensure the delivery of wheat and rice was done in a transparent manner even though the ration cards are not Aadhar card seeded.

In the same meeting, Bhujbal has also asked to take all the precautions while distributing food grains to the needy, without any allegations or complications. Additionally, the details of people being given the food grains must be noted with their signature and thumb impression.

Bhujbal has also informed that saffron ration cards will now get 3 kg of wheat and 2 kg of rice per person every month at subsidised rates. With 71.54 lakh ration cards, the supply offices will have to produce 92,532 tonnes of wheat and 60,688 tonnes of rice. The rice will be given at ₹12 per kg while the wheat will be given at ₹8 per kg during the months of May and June.

या नागरिकांना राज्य सरकारकडून अन्नधान्याचे वाटप झाल्यानंतर बचत झालेले ५ टक्के धान्य या नागरिकांना सवलतीच्या दरात वाटप करण्याची परवानगी द्यावी अशी मागणी केंद्रीय अन्न पुरवठा मंत्री @irvpaswan यांच्याकडे पत्राद्वारे केली आहे.@CMOMaharashtra @NCPspeaks pic.twitter.com/oiltF6H3ai

— Chhagan Bhujbal (@ChhaganCBhujbal) April 22, 2020

Meanwhile, the state government is also contemplating to supply food grains at subsidised rates to the stranded thousands of migrant workers and labourers who don’t have ration cards. Chhagan Bhujbal wrote to Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan demanding an additional quota for them.