Odisha to Provide Extra 5 Kg Rice to 2.4 Crore People Across 19 Districts

This decision aims to support families who were previously excluded from full coverage under the National and State Food Security Schemes.

The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department issued the directive under the Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Beneficiaries will receive the additional rice from September to November, supplementing the existing 5 kg allocation provided through the National Food Security Act, Antyodaya Anna Yojana, and the State Food Security Scheme.

District collectors must ensure rice reaches fair price shops by October 31. Distribution must conclude by November 10. The initiative targets over 70.47 lakh families, including 8.28 lakh Antyodaya households. These households, which previously received 35 kg of rice monthly, will now get 40 kg during the three-month period.

The government responded to complaints that the current rice allotment failed to meet basic consumption needs. Officials instructed dealers to use iris scanners instead of fingerprint devices for Aadhaar authentication to improve accuracy. Exceptions apply only to elderly, differently-abled, critically ill, and leprosy patients.