Maharashtra rolls out food security scheme

The central government’s ambitious food security programme was launched in the state on Friday from Airoli in Navi Mumbai by union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in the presence of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Seven tribal families from Thane were handed over wheat, rice and coarse grains on the occasion by Chavan.

With Lok Sabha polls round the corner, a big ticket announcement was always on the card. The Congress and its alliance partner NCP are currently ruling the state.

Addressing a gathering of nearly one lakh people at Patni grounds, Pawar said, “UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was pushing for the food security bill and accordingly the bill was cleared by the parliament last year. The state government and central government have been chalking out welfare policies for farmers and as part of it loans to the tune of crores have been waived off.”

Pawar said, “Farmers in the country have worked hard and produced record grains in last four years. According to the estimates available for this year, I have been told that 263 million tonnes of food grains will be produced. We are exporting nearly 2.5 lakh crore tonnes of grains and the centre has been subsidising food grains to  great level so that poor get food to eat.”

Chavan said the government had begun its fight to eradicate poverty and malnutrition in the country. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, Thane guardian minister Ganesh Naik also spoke on the occasion