State level ranking for selection of beneficiaries under Food Security Act

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Cabinet on Thursday decided to implement Food Security Act in the State in six months.

Ranking will be done at the State level instead of at taluk level for determination of priority groups under the Act. New ration cards will be distributed in December.

A draft priority list has already been prepared at the taluk level. However, there are many complaints about disparities. When ranking is done at the taluk level, it lead to some eligible families getting excluded from the list. Hence the decision to do the ranking at State level.

As per norms specified, government employees and employees of public sector units and quasi-government institutions and teachers will get excluded from priority list. The Cabinet decided that Scheduled Tribes up to the level of Class IV level should be included in the priority group.

Altogether, about 1.55 crore persons will come under the priority group. Of total population, 52.63 per cent in rural areas and 39.5 per cent in urban areas are included in the group, an official release said.

The government will build at least two godowns in each block. Besides, private godowns will be rented based on specified norms. The wholesale distribution of food grains will be entrusted to Supplyco in stages.  Delivery will be effected at ration shops and the movement of grains will be monitored using software being developed by national informatics centre.