BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, January 3, announced to offer 5 kilograms rice free of cost to State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) beneficiaries for 1 year starting from January to December 2023.

As per the official sources, it said "Odisha government will offer 5-kg entitlement of rice to about 25 lakh SFSS beneficiaries free-of-cost for a period of 12 months from the current month. The state will bear additional Rs 185 crore for executing the announcement."

The announcement was made in the wake of the Union government's scheme to distribute free foodgrains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act  for one year.

The state government has been distributing 5 kilo  of rice per person per month to the left-out entitled beneficiaries covered under the state scheme at Re 1 per kg since October 2018. 

These beneficiaries have also been given with additional rice and pulses during the last 28 months of prevailing Covid-19 crisis in the state. In addition, Rs 1,000 cash incentive was given to each family covered under NFSA and State Food Security Scheme twice.

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