Days after the Narendra Modi government announced free foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced free rice to around 9-lakh beneficiaries of the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) under which 5-kg rice per person will be provided every month throughout 2023. The announcement will cost the BJD government Rs 185 crore, said official sources. The BJD government had launched the SFSS in October 2018 under which it distributes 5 kg rice per person every month at Re 1 a kilo to the eligible beneficiaries who were left out of the NFSA fold. The beneficiaries in the state were also provided additional rice and pulses in the last 28 months during the pandemic in line with the Centre’s decision to extend similar facilities under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). Besides this, each beneficiary family was also provided Rs 1,000 cash incentive under the National Food Security Act, and the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) twice. The rice distribution scheme, first launched in 2008, is considered a major factor behind BJD’s successive electoral successes. In 2008, Naveen launched the scheme, offering rice at Re 2 per kg which was later revised to Re 1 a kilo in 2013. To dent BJD’s prospects, two main opposition parties — BJP and Congress — had launched special campaigns to reach out to the people with the message that the Centre bore the lion's share in allocation of rice while the state government’s contribution was minimal.
