Latest news with #NationalFoodSecurityAct
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
TN asks Centre to release Rs 2,670 crore in pending dues
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has requested the union government to release pending dues amounting to Rs 2,670.64 crore. These dues relate to expenses incurred by the state for paddy procurement, rice fortification, and subsidies for ragi and sugar. Of the roughly 2.25 crore ration cards in Tamil Nadu, the cost of supplying rice through the Public Distribution System (PDS) to 1.12 crore cards (covering 3.6 crore beneficiaries) is fully borne by the centre under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Of the total outstanding dues of Rs 2,670.64 crore, a sum of Rs 2,181.88 crore has been carried over from the financial years 2016-17 to 2020-21. Additionally, Rs 431.55 crore is pending as subsidy for ration cards that were migrated within Tamil Nadu during the same period. In relation to the supply of fortified rice, the state government incurred an expenditure of Rs 244.06 crore, of which the centre has released only Rs 197.26 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 46.80 crore. Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani submitted a memorandum on this matter to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, on Wednesday. According to official sources, the centre disburses funds to the state at regular intervals under various heads, including procurement, milling, and distribution of rice through the PDS. These disbursals are based on claims submitted via the online portal
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Modi govt using tech to ensure transparency': Minister Annapurna Devi flays Congress for opposing facial recognition tech in take-home ration distribution
Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Annapurna Devi on Monday hit out at the Congress that slammed the Centre for making facial recognition mandatory for distributing take-home ration through Anganwadi centres. She said the Modi government was using technology to ensure transparency and inclusion in welfare schemes. The Congress alleged that the Central Government was 'using technology to exclude' vulnerable sections of society from social welfare entitlements. In a communication to States and Union Territories last month, the WCD ministry stated that facial recognition will be mandatory for take-home ration distribution from July 1. The take-home ration (THR) scheme is meant for pregnant and lactating women. Additionally, facial recognition will also be made mandatory at the time of registration of beneficiaries of Anganwadi centres from August 1. For children (Anganwadis serve children from the ages of 0-6), the Aadhaar of the child's parent or guardian, along with face recognition, will be a precondition for registration. The child's Aadhaar will not be considered at the time of registration, going by the communication. In addition to the adult's facial recognition, the child's picture with 'liveliness detection' will be captured for children in the 3-6 age group. Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh wrote on X on Monday: 'The Modi government is systematically using technology to exclude the most vulnerable sections of society from social welfare entitlements. Now, pregnant women face a new hurdle: facial recognition technology (FRT) for basic and legal entitlements under the NFSA! (National Food Security Act).' Ramesh stated that technologies such as Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS), the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app, etc have proven to be exclusionary or have failed. 'The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports in its 365th Report on the Demand for Grants for the Women and Child Development Ministry had noted that the introduction of ABPS in the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) impacted the ability of eligible beneficiaries (i.e., pregnant and lactating women) to benefit from the scheme. The number of beneficiaries paid has dipped drastically, from 96 lakh women in FY19-20 to 27 lakh women in FY23-24,' he wrote. Responding to his post, WCD Minister Annapurna Devi wrote on X: 'With the help of modern technologies like Facial Recognition System (FRS), Biometric and Aadhaar, the government today is successful in reaching last mile beneficiaries.' 'It is wrong to say that the use of technology has led to a decline in PMMVY beneficiaries,' she wrote, adding that there were 72.05 lakh first-time beneficiaries of the scheme in 2019-20, 80.48 lakh in 2024-25, and over 27 lakh beneficiaries in the first quarter of 2025-26.
Deccan Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Now, K'taka govt plans to roll out ‘Indira Food Kit' for BPL families
Under the National Food Security Act, the Anna Bhagya scheme currently entitles each Priority Household (PHH) ration card holder to 10 kg of rice per month — 5 kg provided by the central government and another five kg by the state government, both free of cost.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Centre using technology to exclude vulnerable sections: Congress on face authentication for anganwadi beneficiaries
Attacking the Narendra Modi government over the Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry's order that made face recognition authentication mandatory for anganwadi beneficiaries, the Congress on Monday (June 23, 2025) alleged that it is systematically using technology to exclude the most vulnerable sections of society from social welfare entitlements. Digital India must enable, not disempower, and it must not remain a 'Preach Inclusion Practice Exclusion (PIPE) dream, the party added. The Ministry had directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to implement a mandatory face recognition system for take-home ration distribution and child attendance monitoring at anganwadi centres. According to a letter issued by the Ministry last month, the face recognition feature will now be accessible within the beneficiary profiles on the Poshan tracker application. Beneficiaries will also have the option to self-register using the citizen module of the tracker for e-KYC and photo capture. 'New hurdle' 'First, Aadhaar was weaponised to block crores of workers from MGNREGA. Acid attack survivors had to battle in court just to enrol in Aadhaar. Adivasis across the country still lose rations to tech glitches. Now, pregnant women face a new hurdle: facial recognition technology (FRT) for basic and legal entitlements under the NFSA![National Food Security Act]!' Congress Communications chief Jairam Ramesh said. All over the world, evidence has emerged that FRT discriminates against class and colour of the skin, Mr. Ramesh added.
United News of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Modi Govt using technology to exclude vulnerable groups from welfare schemes: Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday accused the Modi government of systematically using technology to exclude the most vulnerable sections of society from accessing their rightful social welfare entitlements. In a post on X, the Rajya Sabha MP highlighted a series of technological measures which he claimed, have turned out to exclusionary in nature. 'Aadhaar was weaponised to block crores of workers from MGNREGA. Acid attack survivors had to battle in court just to enroll in Aadhaar. Adivasis across the country still lose rations to tech glitches,' he said. Ramesh also expressed concerns over the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) for delivering benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), warning that it could further become a hurdle for pregnant women. 'All over the world, evidence has emerged that FRT discriminates against class and colour of the skin,' he said. He also cited the failures of other technological platforms such as the Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS) and the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app. Ramesh pointed to findings from the 365th Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, which noted that the introduction of ABPS in the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) had severely impacted the ability of eligible pregnant and lactating women to receive benefits. 'The number of beneficiaries paid has dipped drastically, from 96 lakh women in FY19-20 to 27 lakh women in FY23-24,' he said. 'Still, the Modi government continues to introduce discriminatory technologies,' he said, adding that "Digital India should empower, not disempower". 'It must not remain a Preach Inclusion Practice Exclusion (PIPE) dream,' he added. UNI RBE RN
