Agartala, Oct 8(TIWN) The Food Security Act, which promises heavily subsidized food grains to the poor,is to be implemented in the state from January, 2014, Food Minister, Bhanu Lal Saha announced here on Tuesday at civil secretariat.

     From the state’ s population of about 36 lakh, 25 lakh people will be  benefitted by the Act as the government will provide rice Rs 3 per kg to them under the public distribution system.

       The minister said, “74.75 % of the rural population and 49.54 % of the urban population have been identified as beneficiaries, in addition to the beneficiaries of existing schemes such as the Antodaya Anna Yojana”. The remain population will also be covered by under the system.

        Regarding the selection of priority group, the minister informed that the beneficiaries will be selected by gram sabha’s by following the guideline of socio – economic and caste census.  

          Speaking about the meeting with Central Food Minister of Independent charge on October 1 the minister said he had proposed that the price for foodgrains of non TPDS category of beneficiaries should be less than the present rate of APL price. He said that food security does not mean mere supply of cereals only. It should be include supply of pulses and edible oils to have balanced nutritious meal daily.

      Regarding supply of sugar he said  that  by FCI from June, 2013 has been discontinued and direction for procurement of sugar from market by states is a major departure of the Union government  from the prevailing system of supplying sugar by levying sugar from sugar mills. The new system has forced the states to bear additional burden of matching grant by states.