Cheap rice for 10 lakh urban poor

The government starts distribution of rice from today to 10 lakh urban poor at a subsidised rate of Tk 24 a kg through fair price cards.
"Each family having a fair price card can get 20 kg of rice during the month of Ramadan," said Golam Kibria, senior information officer of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management yesterday.
The government introduces the rationing programme amid high food prices to help the urban poor who are deprived of any other public safety net facilities and whose incomes are less than Tk 100 a day, he said.
Coarse rice is now sold at Tk 30-32, which was Tk 20-22 last year. After the start of Open Market Sales (OMS) of rice on August 10, the price however remains stable.
The programme of fair price cards will be operated in the capital, all the divisional and district towns, Kibria said.
A total of 8.96 lakh beneficiaries have already been issued fair price cards and the process of issuing the cards for the rest is underway, Kibria said. Local MPs and ward commissioners are involved in the process of selecting the beneficiaries, he noted.
Food Minister Abdur Razzaque had earlier said the government wants distribution of food through fair price card. However rice distribution under the programme will run only in the month of Ramadan.
A total of 532 dealers have been appointed for the task.