Delhi Government Identified 32 Lakh Beneficiaries under Food Security Scheme

The Government of Delhi identified 32 lakh beneficiaries for distribution of highly subsidised foodgrains under its Food Security scheme. On 9 September 2013, the AIR programme Public Speak took place, during which the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit explained that the cards were issued based on the Adhaar Card in order to identify the beneficiaries under the scheme.

The Delhi Chief Minister also explained that there were around 73 lakh beneficiaries under the scheme and identification of these will be completed by February 2014. However, irregularities have often resulted in improper implementation of the scheme, for which it is important for the people to register their complaints with the redressal officer to get their legal entitlement.

Member of National Advisory Council, NC Saxena explained that the coverage of food security will be 75 percent in rural areas and 50 percent in urban areas in India, thereby covering more than 82 crore people in all.

What is Food Security Scheme?

The National Development Council (NDC) in its 53rd meeting held on 29 May, 2007 adopted a resolution to launch a Food Security Mission comprising rice, wheat and pulses to increase the production of rice by 10 million tons, wheat by 8 million tons and pulses by 2 million tons by the end of the Eleventh Plan (2011-12).

Accordingly, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, National Food Security Mission, was launched from 2007-08 to operationalise this resolution. The National Food Security Mission primarily has 3 components- Rice, Wheat and Pulses.