IN order to provide food to all the BJP government in Uttarakhand launched the Atal Khadayann Yojana. At the time when the rising expenses have made it difficult for people to procure essential commodities, this Yojna ensures foodgrains to both BPL and APL families at cheaper price. BJP national president Shri Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ formally launched the scheme in Dehradun on February 11.
Under this scheme, the members of BPL families will be able to procure wheat and rice at the rate of Rs 2 and Rs3 respectively, while the APL families will get wheat and rice at the rate of Rs.4 and Rs.6 per kg respectively. An action plan has been drafted and the responsibility of officials has been affixed in order to ensure the successful execution of this scheme.
As per the provisions of the action plan; Food Corporation of India will facilitate the supply of the monthly foodgrains consignment to the divisional food controller one month in advance. The divisional food controller and district supply officers will procure the foodgrain stock from the FCI and would ensure its transportation to the base godown and other stores by the 20th day of the same month.
The three-member committee formed by the District Magistrates will conduct the verification of the foodgrain stock in the godowns by the 23rd day of the month. The owners of fair price shops will procure the foodgrains from the godowns and bring it to their shops by the last day of the month. According to Food and Civil Supply Secretary Dilbagh Singh all the District Magistrates, District Supply Officers, RFC Garhwal and Kumaon managing directors and FCI have been issued necessary instructions to ensure successful execution of the scheme.
Launching the scheme Shri Nitin Gadkari said politics is an instrument for social reform and one can use it to serve the people including the downtrodden. He said the scheme would benefit around 30 lakh people in the State and has a potential to emerge as a model scheme for other states. “If you are in politics, your aim should not be to just become an MLA, a Minister or a Chief Minister. Instead, you should aim at eradicating poverty and providing each and every person with food, clothing and shelter,” he said. Referring to rotting of foodgrains worth Rs.58,000 crore due to lack of storage space, Shri Gadkari said it only showed the extent of misrule by the UPA Government. He said he is proud to launch the scheme on the occasion of the death anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
Citing the progress witnessed by Uttarakhand since its inception with its GDP shooting from 2.1 to 9.41 per cent and per capita income growing from Rs 14,000 to Rs 42,000, Shri Gadkari expressed hope that the Government would ensure leak-proof execution of the scheme so that the citizens can reap its benefits. He cited the example of Chhattisgarh, where the Public Distribution System (PDS) has won the appreciation of Prime Minister. He asked the State food and supply department to follow the Chhattisgarh model while implementing the scheme. “To make the scheme successful if you need to increase the commissions of PDS dealers then you increase their commission,” he said.
Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ said his Government was committed to ensure that every citizen gets a square meal. “Under the newly launched scheme, a BPL cardholder will be entitled to get 25 kg of rice at Rs 3 per kg and 10 kg of wheat at Rs 2 per kg. Those who have been hit by natural disasters have been unable to cope with the current price rise would be benefited by this scheme,” he said.
Former Chief Minister Major General (retd) Shri BC Khanduri said the programme of providing ration at cheaper price began during the regime of NDA headed by Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee. Food and Civil Supply Minister Shri Diwakar Bhatt said the Government is dedicated to implementing this scheme on the ground level. To ensure leak-proof distribution, it has made preparations at the district level.
There are over 9,000 ration dealers across the State running subsidised foodgrain shops. There are about six-lakh BPL families in the State, which will get the benefit of the scheme.
During its about four years rule in the State the BJP government has taken many welfare initiatives. A Pahal Yojana has been launched to ensure basic education to economical deprived children. Similarly, Devbhoomi Muskan Yojana is meant for the children of weaker sections and a new Sapno Ki Udaan Yojana, under which children are being provided education through mobile vans, has been launched. Nandadevi Kanya Yojana, under which an amount of Rs 5,000 is deposited by the government for the BPL families at the time of the birth of girls, and Gauradevi Kanyadhan Yojana, under which an FD of Rs. 25,000 is ensured by the government for Intermediate passed girls of the BPL families, are the schemes launched by the government for the welfare of the people.
