KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, July 7: Naveen Patnaik Government on Monday made a major announcement keeping an eye on the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

The government announced that 25 kg of rice would be available to all the below poverty line (BPL) families every month at a rate of Rs 2 per kg.

The scheme would come into effect from August 1, the Chief Minister told media persons.

Rice at the same rate would also be available to the lakhs of extremely poor families covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana.

The Rs 2 per kg rice scheme would benefit around 40 lakh BPL families in the state.

At present, the BPL families in ITDP & DPAP blocks are getting 25 kg rice per month (16 kg at a rate of Rs 4.75 and 9 kg at a rate of Rs 6.30), and those living in non-ITDP blocks are getting 25 kg per month at a rate of Rs 6.30 per kg.

The funds that would be required to subsidise rice for the BPL families would be paid by the state government.