Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced that it will start providing wheat in addition to rice to ration card holders under food security schemes from January 2025.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra stated on Thursday that the state has already received wheat for this purpose and that distribution is set to begin in the first week of January, following the completion of certain formalities.
Minister Patra noted that data has been requested from districts to assess the demand for wheat versus rice among beneficiaries. While some beneficiaries have requested wheat, others have opted to receive only rice through the Public Distribution System (PDS). Based on these preferences, the government will finalize a tender and commence distribution accordingly.
The Minister also mentioned that the process may take additional time due to pending e-KYC work, with around 85% of e-KYC completed to date. Over 1.6 million ineligible beneficiaries have been identified, and the remaining e-KYC work is expected to be completed within 15 days.
This decision to provide wheat alongside rice to ration card holders was taken after BJP came to power in the state.
