KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, July 14: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is making a serious attempt to win the polls for the third time in a row, has stressed the need for proper implementation of his Rs 2 per kg rice scheme.

Inaugurating a day-long conference of the District Collectors of the state here on Monday, Patnaik asked the Collectors to take all possible measures for successful implementation of the scheme and ensure that no beneficiary was left out.

Patnaik had announced the scheme on July 7 under which 25 kg of rice would be available to all the below poverty line (BPL) families of the state every month at a rate of Rs 2 per kg.

The scheme would also cover above the poverty line (APL) families in the backward KBK region of the state.

As doubts were being raised about possible corruption in the implementation of the scheme, Patnaik directed the Collectors to keep a close watch on the storage agents and dealers.

Regarding allegations that at many places the dealers were keeping the ration cards of the beneficiaries with them, Patnaik said this practice should be stopped for the benefit of the people.

Patnaik also laid stress on making the people aware of the benefits of the scheme through various campaigns.

Grievance Cells should be opened at various levels to know about the functioning of the scheme and make the benefits reach the people, he said.

The Chief Minister is keen about proper implementation of the cheap rice scheme as the same was aimed at wooing the voters ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.