Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Feb 9: Since July 2023, the Congress-led state government has altered its approach to supporting Antyodaya ration card families with four or more members. Instead of providing five kilograms of rice directly, they now deposit Rs 170 into the families' accounts. In December 2023, approximately Rs. 17.68 crore was deposited into the bank accounts of 2,53,568 priority family heads under Annabhagya scheme.

The state government distributes food grains through ration shops under the Public Distribution System (PDS). In Dakshina Kannada district, there are 460 ration shops serving 4,51,593 ration cards.

In the district, there are 23,011 families eligible for benefits under the Antyodaya rice scheme, receiving 35 kilograms of rice free each month under the National Food Security Act. Additionally, there are 254,851 families categorized as economically below the poverty line, receiving priority ration cards and five kilograms of rice monthly per beneficiary.

Furthermore, 173,731 Above Poverty Line (APL) families possess non-priority ration cards. Among them, 110,512 families have expressed interest in purchasing ration, receiving five kilograms of rice per month for each member with APL cards, and 10 kilograms for multiple-member cards at Rs 15 per kilogram.

Moreover, through the One Nation One Ration Card portability scheme, any ration card holder in India can avail ration from any ration shop nationwide.