District-Level Campaign to Include Eligible Beneficiaries Under Food Security Scheme – No Deserving Person Should Be Left Out: Food and Civil Supplies Minister

Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Shri Sumit Godara has directed that a district-level campaign be launched to ensure that all eligible individuals who are currently excluded from the Food Security Scheme are included. He emphasized that no deserving person should remain deprived of food security benefits. The minister gave these directions during a departmental review meeting held on Wednesday at the District Collectorate Auditorium in Bundi.

He instructed that the campaign should actively involve Sub-Divisional Officers, Development Officers, as well as Village Development Officers and Patwaris at the grassroots level.

Reviewing the progress of the ‘Give Up’ campaign and the inclusion of new beneficiaries in Bundi district, the Food Minister stated that around 35,000 individuals have voluntarily removed their names from the National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiary list. The department is consistently encouraging ineligible beneficiaries to voluntarily withdraw from the NFSA, resulting in many approaching offices or Fair Price Shop dealers to give up their benefits. An online application system has also been introduced for those who wish to voluntarily exit the scheme.

Encouragement to Ineligible Beneficiaries to Give Up Benefits

The minister informed that since the reactivation of the Food Security online portal on January 26, 2025, approximately 61,500 new beneficiaries have been added under NFSA in Bundi district. Efforts to link eligible individuals to the scheme are ongoing. Under the ‘Give Up’ initiative, he called on all public representatives to motivate ineligible individuals to voluntarily give up their entitlements so that the truly needy, especially those in the lowest economic strata, can be brought into the fold.

During the meeting, the Minister reviewed tehsil-wise campaign progress with the District Supply Officer and Enforcement Officer and instructed them to ensure food security benefits reach as many eligible but deprived individuals as possible.

He also announced that going forward, all Fair Price Shop dealers will receive their commission payments on a monthly basis. Previously, these payments were often delayed for several months. The department has already transferred commission and transportation dues up to May 2025 to all District Supply Officers, and the pending payments are to be completed by the end of this week. A system for regular monthly payments is also being implemented.

District Collector Akshay Godara and other departmental officials were present during the meeting.