West Bengal Extends Food Security To 8.5 Crore People

•  The West Bengal government has ensured food security to more than 8.5 crore people of the state under the 'Khadya Sathi' scheme, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on the World Food Day.
• Special assistance is also being given to the people of Jangalmahal and Hill areas besides Aila-affected areas and farmers of Singur, tea garden workers as well as the Toto tribe.

Khadya Sathi Scheme:

• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has started the Food Partner Plan on January 27, 2016, to distribute grain on low subsidized prices in the state.
• Under the Food Partner Plan, the government has provided rice and wheat at a rate of Rs 2 per kg to 7 crores 49 lakh people. About 90% of the population in West Bengal will get rice and wheat at half the price of market value to nearly 50 lakh people.
• In this beneficiary scheme, 33 lakh people of Jangalmahal area, 12 lakh drought-affected people of Purulia district, tea plantation and their families, cyclone affected people, Singur people who have lost their land, people of Kolkata homeless people and food Under the partner plan, people living in Darjeeling hill areas will be involved.

World Food Day:

• The World Food Day is celebrated worldwide on this day to celebrate founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 1945.
• It is a day of action dedicated to tackle global hunger.
• Celebrated on 16 October, every year.

By: Ziyaur Rahman