Maharashtra govt starts ration distribution to saffron ration card holders for May & June

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that the state government has started the distribution of wheat and rice to saffron ration cardholders for the month of May and June. The saffron cardholders are families with an annual income of ₹15,000 to ₹1 lakh. 

Thackeray further mentioned that the wheat will be given at Rs 8/kg whereas rice will be sold at Rs. 12/kg and will benefit over three crore people in the state with an overall distribution of 4.5 lakh metric tonnes of ration. 

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Ration delivery for saffron cardholders

Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has announced that food grains will be home delivered to those who possess a saffron ration card (Kesari ration card) for the next two months and that too at subsidised rates. Bhujbal held a meeting of district supply officers across Maharashtra via video conferencing and directed the officials to ensure that the delivery of food grains was done in a transparent manner even though the ration cards are not Aadhar card seeded. 

During his meeting with the district supply officers, Bhujbal said that all precautions should be taken while delivering the food grains to the needy, without any allegations or complications. Moreover, the details of people being given the food grains should be noted with their signature and thumb impression. 

The minister further informed that saffron ration cards will now get 3 kilograms of wheat and 2 kilograms 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 provided at ₹12 per kg while the wheat will be given at ₹8 per kg during the months of May and June. 

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Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government is also planning to provide food grains at subsidised rates to the stranded migrant workers and labourers who don’t have ration cards. Chhagan Bhujbal wrote to Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan demanding an additional quota for the same. 

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Meals under Shiv Bhojan increased 

The Maharashtra government has increased the number of meals under Shiv Bhojan Thali to 1.5 lakh. Earlier, the government was providing meals to one lakh people. The Shiv Bhojan Thali scheme is a highly subsidised meal available for the poor and the needy. 

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