Reverse order on food grains, writes Bhujbal

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has requested the central government to reverse its March 2019 decision of stopping food grain supply to government-aided institutes and SC/ST/OBC hostels under the ‘Allocation of food grain under Welfare institutions & hostel scheme’.

Food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday wrote to Union minister for food and civil supply Ramvilas Pasawan requesting him to reconsider the decision and incorporate government-aided institutes.

Mr Bhujbal on Thursday held a meeting in Mantralaya to take stock of the department. An official, who has attended the meeting, said that the issue of food grains not being provided to government-aided schools was raised in the review meeting.

According to Mr Bhujbal’s letter, the central government had on March 19, 2019 directed all state governments to distribute food grains under ‘Welfare institutions & hostel scheme’ only to the government owned/government-run institution.  “Previously, under this scheme, food grains were provided to government-aided and private welfare institutions and hostels in the state. However, due to the discontinuation, beneficiaries of these institutions have been deprived of food grains,” the letter read.

According to the department, the Centre’s decision affected over two lakh students in the in the last six months. There are approximately 600 government-aided and semi-government institutions. Out of this, only 215 have been provided with food grains.