Chief minister Naveen Patnaik launches ‘one nation, one ration card’ across Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday virtually launched the ‘one nation, one ration card’ policy across the state to help beneficiaries of food security scheme avail subsidized food grains from ration shops in any part of the country as well as across the nearly 10,578 fair price shops in the state.
With implementation of the policy, a person from another state but registered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can avail subsidised food grains at any place in Odisha. Similarly, an NFSA beneficiary from Odisha, if s/he migrates to another state or moves outside her/his own city or district, can also continue to receive food grains from the place to which s/he has migrated.
Though the state government had earlier implemented the policy in 127 fair price shops across 67 wards under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area on pilot basis, the Supreme Court had recently directed all states and Union Territories to implement the policy by July 31.
During the course of the pandemic, the ‘one nation one ration card’ policy helped migrants with ration cards registered in other states to collect food grains from any fair price shop in the state.
The chief minister, on the occasion, also launched the fortification of rice and its distribution under public distribution system in tribal-dominated Malkangiri district to address issues regarding anaemia and other micro-nutrient deficiencies among food security beneficiaries.
The department of food and public distribution under the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution had announced the fortification of rice and its distribution in select districts of 15 states on pilot basis.
“It is the right of every individual to live with dignity and self-respect and no one can deprive the poor from this right. The state government is trying to ensure the right to poor people through its various schemes. We will continue to work towards welfare of the poor,” said the chief minister on the occasion.