Hyderabad, September 25: The state government is taking all steps for successful implementation of the muchpublicised `1perkg rice scheme announced by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy recently. As part of it, the finance department has decided to allocate the about Rs 200 crore for the scheme to be implemented from November 1 for the next five months.
The chief minister would formally launch the Rs 1akg rice scheme on AP Formation Day. Kiran Kumar Reddy is contemplating more schemes to woo the weaker sections.
“The chief minister is focusing on youth and women empowerment, welfare of farmers and the poor. The prime focus would be on education and employment sectors. Kiran Reddy himself is the chairman of Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu and he will directly review the programme meant to provide about 15 lakh jobs in the private sector,” CMO officials said.
As for the funds for the new schemes, Kiran Reddy himself had claimed that he had achieved financial discipline and there would be no problem for funds for new schemes in future.
According to Rawat, special secretary to chief minister, all schemes and programmes launched by former chief minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy were being continued. Besides, new schemes like ‘Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu’ and ‘Milk Mission’ were also planned to benefit youth and farmers.
As for the Rs 1akg rice scheme, commissioner of civil supplies Harpreet Singh said the entire expenditure would be borne by the state government. At present, the department has Rs 50 crore savings under subsidy budget relating to rice scheme and another Rs 200 crore would be provided by the finance department. The government is making arrangements to provide the required funds in the budget.
In all, the state exchequer has to bear an additional burden of about `600 crore for the `1 per kg rice scheme. Till date, about Rs 2,000 crore is being incurred towards rice subsidy per year under Rs 2akg rice scheme. Now, the cost would go up to Rs 2,600 crore.About 3.3 lakh metric tonnes of subsidised rice is required per month to supply it through PDS to white card holders numbering about 2.01 crore. Another 25 lakh BPL families would get white cards under RachabandaII.
–Agencies