Odisha CM urges PM for inclusion of 34.44 lakh more NFSA beneficiaries

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the latter to sanction inclusion of 34.44 lakh more beneficiaries of the state under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

In his letter to PM Modi dated 23.5.2018, Patnaik also suggested that a mechanism may be put in place wherein the target is modified at regular intervals to increase coverage of the beneficiaries in accordance with the increase in population.

The CM has mentioned in the letter that Odisha was given a target of 3,26,41,800 beneficiaries which was 78% of the 2011 Census population of 4,19,74,218.

“According to 2011 Census data, the rate of growth of population of Odisha was 14% in the last decade. If we extrapolate this date, then in 2018 the population of Odisha has increased by 10.22% as compared to 2011. It is estimated that the total population of Odisha in 2018 would be 4,62,63,983. Allowing the same percentage of coverage as was decided when the Act came into force, then we are entitled to cover 3,60,85,907 beneficiaries under the NMFS Act,” Patnaik wrote requesting Modi for sanction of additional 34.44 lakh beneficiaries for the State of Odisha to ensure food security to all eligible persons.