Mumbai: The Food and Civil Supply Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, on Saturday announced that the government will provide free 10 kg rice, 10 wheat, 5 kg dal and 5-litre kerosene each to the people in the flood-hit Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts. The government’s announcement came in the wake of a loss caused due to incessant rains, floods and landslides making more than 89,000 people homeless in these districts.
The government will distribute rice, wheat, dal and kerosene as per its policy of March 2019. The distribution of kerosene will help people to cook their meals especially when many areas are still submerged and without electricity supply.
In addition, the government has issued directives to double the plates served under the ambitious ShivBhojan scheme in these six districts. Free meals will be served under the scheme.
Bhujbal said that in those areas where the ShivBhojan Thali centres are submerged or washed out, the local authorities will rush ready-to-consume packed meals from other nearby locations.
“We have decided to double the ShivBhojan Thali supplies to the six districts to help the people,’’ he said.
For those wanting ShivBhojan Thali packets but are impacted due to lack of electricity supply, mobile and Internet connectivity, Bhujbal said, people will be permitted to use the tehsildar’s machinery to order their requirements till normalcy returns.
