Bhopal, Mar 10: Over 45-lakh BPL families would be given wheat and rice at subsidised rates of Rs 3 and Rs 4.50 per kg, respectively from April this year. The rate would be Rs 2 less than the prescribed rates. Each family would get 20 kg wheat or rice. This would entail an annual financial burden of Rs 213 crore to the state exchequer.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed the preparations being made for implementation of this scheme at a meeting in Assembly office here today. Minister for Cooperatives and Agriculture Gopal Bhargawa; Principal Secretary, Finance Ashok Das; Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Malay Rai and Secretaries to the Chief Minister attended the meeting.

The Chief Minister directed to ensure that there is no irregularity or black-marketing in the implementation of this scheme. Strict action should be taken against anyone found committing irregularities in this, he said. Chouhan said that the surveillance committees of panchayats and Deen Dayal Antyodaya Samitis would monitor this scheme. All BPL families holding blue ration cards would benefit from it.

The Chief Minister said that special efforts would be made to inform all the BPL families about the scheme. In all the districts, with the launch of this scheme the people should also be informed about Mukhya Mantri Majdoor Suraksha Yojana and other beneficiary oriented schemes, he directed.