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.
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.
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.