25 kg rice and free Onam kit to BPL cardholders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BPL cardholders in the state will be supplied upto 25 kg of rice at Re 1 a kilo from September 1, Food and Civil Supplies Minister T M Jacob said.Defence Minister A K Antony will formally launch the scheme on August 27 here.A poverty-free Kerala was the aim of the UDF Government, and the rice at Re 1 per kg scheme is designed to achieve this aim, he said.A total of 14,60,735 beneficiaries in the BPL category, 5,95,800 beneficiaries in the AAY category and inmates of government-approved orphanages will benefit from the scheme.An AAY cardholder will be allotted 35 kg of rice and orphanages, five kg per inmate. In all, 36,518 metric tonnes of rice will be required for supply to the BPL category and 20,853 metric tonnes for the AAY category.FREE ONAM KITClose to 21 lakh families in the BPL and AAY categories will be supplied free Onam Kits containing essential commodities including rice and sugar. The scheme will cost the state overnment Rs 19 crore.