Delhi govt to provide free sugar to underprivileged families

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday approved the Delhi Cabinet's proposal of July 20, to provide free sugar to the underprivileged families living in Delhi.

This significant move aims to alleviate the hardships faced by underprivileged families and ensure food security for all.

"Recognizing the unprecedented challenges posed by the current economic situation and inflation, the Delhi Government had previously taken measures to ensure no one suffers from food insecurity.

“As part of these efforts, regular NFSA ration under the Public Distribution System (PDS) was distributed free of cost to the PDS beneficiaries for specific periods, starting from April 2020 to November 2020, and later extended from May 2021 to May 2022," said the Delhi government.

Delhi government said that besides the free food grains, including wheat and rice, to all NFSA beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), by the Union of India, the Delhi Government has decided to provide free sugar to residents.

The Delhi government will provide free sugar to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries under the sugar subsidy scheme. The distribution of sugar to AAY cardholders will be made available free of cost for a period of one year, effective from January 2023 to December 2023.

To facilitate the seamless implementation of this scheme, the matter of free distribution of sugar under the Sugar Subsidy Scheme, specifically 1 kg of sugar to Antyodaya Anna Yojana category cardholders, was brought before the Council of Ministers for consideration which was passed by the cabinet on 20th July 2023. Subsequently the proposal got approved on Monday.

"Approximately 2,80,290 beneficiaries, including 68,747 National Food Security Cardholders, will greatly benefit from this compassionate decision. The implementation of this initiative will require an estimated budget of approximately Rs 1.11 crores, as the Delhi Government continues its tireless efforts to prioritize the welfare of its residents. The Kejriwal Government is committed to ensuring that no one in Delhi goes without basic food necessities during these challenging times," it said.