17.5 Lakh Opt Out of Food Subsidy, 19.7 Lakh New Beneficiaries Added

Departmental Review Meeting Held by Food and Civil Supplies Minister — 17.52 Lakh Ineligible People Opted Out of Food Security Under ‘Give Up’ Campaign; 19.70 Lakh New Beneficiaries Added After Portal Restart — Minister Stresses on Effective Field Implementation to Benefit the Last Person

Jaipur : A review meeting to assess the progress of departmental schemes in Jaipur district was held on Wednesday at the Secretariat under the chairmanship of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Sumit Godara. During the meeting, officials presented detailed reports on ineligible beneficiaries giving up food subsidies under the ‘Give Up’ campaign, the addition of new beneficiaries after the restart of the Food Security Portal, and the status of pending applications.

Mr. Godara emphasized that with the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, food security for crores of people in the state has been ensured. He credited the state government, led by Chief Minister Mr. Bhajanlal Sharma, for its commitment to securing the rights of the underprivileged. He instructed officials to conduct regular field visits and collect feedback on the implementation of schemes. Public awareness about welfare schemes should be increased to ensure maximum reach and effectiveness. Coordinated efforts with the public and elected representatives are essential for proper implementation, he said, stressing the need to ensure that the benefits of these schemes reach the very last person.

Give Up Campaign Saves ₹324 Crore Annually

Mr. Godara stated that the ‘Give Up’ campaign, launched last year to encourage financially capable individuals to give up food subsidies, has led to 17.52 lakh ineligible people voluntarily removing themselves from the NFSA (National Food Security Act) list. This has resulted in annual savings of ₹324 crore for the state, which can now be redirected to deserving beneficiaries. He clarified that those opting out of NFSA will also be ineligible for the Chief Minister’s LPG Subsidy Scheme. He instructed that necessary punitive action be taken against ineligible individuals who fail to opt out voluntarily, and that departmental officers take action against ration dealers involved in irregularities.

Effective e-KYC Completion for Beneficiaries

He informed that the state government has successfully completed the e-KYC process for food subsidy beneficiaries. Compassionately, beneficiaries under 10 years of age and over 70 years old were exempted from this requirement. As per Supreme Court directives, those who did not complete e-KYC by March 31 were removed from the NFSA list—over 27 lakh names were delisted. The saved food will now be distributed to newly added eligible beneficiaries.

19.70 Lakh New Beneficiaries Added After Portal Relaunch

He shared that the Food Security Portal was relaunched on Republic Day this year by CM Bhajanlal Sharma with the aim of enrolling all eligible beneficiaries. Since then, 19.70 lakh new individuals have been added to the NFSA list. In the previous year, 12.95 lakh new names were added, bringing the total number of new beneficiaries under the current government to around 33 lakh. These beneficiaries also receive LPG cylinders at ₹450 under the CM Gas Subsidy Scheme and free medical treatment under the MAA scheme, underlining the government’s commitment to welfare.

Returned Applications Must Be Properly Communicated

Mr. Godara stressed the need for clear communication to applicants whose forms were returned due to incomplete documentation. Many are unaware of the reason for rejection, which causes delays. District Supply Officers and Enforcement Officers must ensure that applicants are informed promptly to complete their documents and receive the benefits.

Call for the Well-off to Give Up Subsidies

Jaipur Rural MP Mr. Rao Rajendra Singh urged affluent individuals to give up their subsidies to help the poor. “The subsidy relinquished by the well-off becomes a meal for the needy,” he said, calling for active participation in the ‘Give Up’ campaign. Hawa Mahal MLA Mr. Balamukundacharya emphasized advertising welfare schemes at ration shops so that no one misses out due to lack of information. He also called for swift resolution of issues arising from technological innovations in free ration distribution. Adarsh Nagar MLA Mr. Rafiq Khan stressed that no eligible person should be deprived of their ration. Chomu MLA Mrs. Shikha Meel Barala called for complete transparency in resolving pending food security applications.

The meeting was attended by public representatives including Mr. Upen Yadav, Mr. Chandramohan Meena, Sanganer Pradhan Mrs. Bhawar Kanwar, Chomu Municipal Chairman Mr. Vishnu Saini, Rampura Dabdi Pradhan Mr. Hardev Yadav, Shahpura Pradhan Mrs. Manju Sharma, Manoharpur Municipal Chairperson Mrs. Sunita Prajapat, and Shahpura Municipal Chairman Mr. Bansidhar Saini. They all shared their views on effective implementation of departmental schemes.

Also present were Principal Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies Department Mr. Subir Kumar, Jaipur District Collector Mr. Jitendra Kumar Soni, Additional Food Commissioner Mrs. Poonam Sagar, and other departmental officials.