Cash for kerosene scheme in Balangir in the offing WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 01:30 PNS | BHUBANESWAR HITS: 33

Cash for kerosene scheme in Balangir in the offing
WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 01:30 PNS | BHUBANESWAR HITS: 33
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PDS (public distribution system) consumers in Balangir district will get cash subsidy for kerosene. The State Government has decided to take Balangir as the pilot district for implementation of Cash Subsidy for kerosene, a national project according with a recent decision taken at a meeting of State Food and Civil Supplies Secretaries in Delhi.

Taking the cue, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare Madhu Sudan Padhi has taken the lead in making arrangements to implement the programme in the State.

Accordingly, the State Government has requested the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for funding of the pilot project in Balangir. The State Government’s letter to the Centre mentioned that an estimated amount of `2 crore would be required for developing a system for ensuing direct transfer of cash to the bank and post office accounts of the beneficiaries under the pilot project in the district.

At present, the district has a population of 16,58,574 as per the Provisional Census Report and 3,67,776 ration card holders under the BPL, AAY and APL categories.

The process will involve digitisation of the existing ration cards on the database of the National Population Register (NPR) as has been compiled by the State’s Director of Census Operation, reduplication, issue of bar-coded ration cards, training of entrepreneurs having set up common service centres (CSC) at the GP level.

This apart, printing and distribution of ration cards, developing application software for printing bar-coded coupons of the GP-level CSC, IEC activity, creating awareness and others were also parts of the system to be placed before implementation of the project.

Besides, the State Government has also decided to request the Centre in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to sanction `3 per month for printing of bar-coded coupons for each beneficiary family which would be used for transaction of kerosene at the FPS level and later read into the system as proof of sale for subsequent transfer of subsidy to the account of the beneficiary.

“The pilot project will require about three to four months for its implementation,” said a senior official, adding that the aim of introducing the system is to check black-marketing of kerosene and ensure that the needy people get the benefit.