Doorstep delivery of ration items begins across Tamil Nadu, 1.3L to benefit
The initiative was first reported by TNIE on June 17. The PDS items will be delivered to beneficiaries on the second Saturday and Sunday of every month. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin launched the scheme in his Chepauk-Triplicane constituency by flagging off vehicles delivering commodities to 2,467 beneficiaries. Ministers in other districts also inaugurated the initiative by flagging off vehicles in their respective regions.
Of the state's 2.3 crore ration cards, covering seven crore people, 16.7 lakh cards (benefiting 21.7 lakh people) are eligible under the scheme. This includes 15.8 lakh family cards with at least one elderly member (20.4 lakh beneficiaries) and 91,969 cards with at least one differently-abled member (1.3 lakh beneficiaries).
Expressing joy over the scheme's launch, the chief minister in a video message said, 'We do not believe that our duty ends with announcing a new scheme – we ensure it reaches the last person in society,' noting that the initiative was conceived after recognising the difficulties faced by the elderly and differently-abled in accessing fair price shops.
Despite the additional annual expenditure of Rs 30.16 crore, Stalin said the government considers this a life-saving responsibility. Calling it the 'biggest service' of the co-operation department, he hailed the dedication of its staff and officials in making it possible.
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