Bengal govt decides to continue special food packages for Jangalmahal and Hills people

The ruling state government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided that, despite the immense pressure on it on account of having to repay the huge debts, it would continue with the special food packages for the people of Jangalmahal and the Hills. Besides rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg, the state government supplies more than double the amount supplied to the other regions of the state for the people of these regions – 11 kg per person per month against 5 kg in the other areas.

Everyone, irrespective of economic condition, is eligible for getting subsidised rice and wheat in these two regions, the official sources here today said. Whereas 42 lakh people in Jangalmahal are supplied with rice and wheat through the ration system (public distribution system, or PDS), in the Hills, the number is 8 lakh 75 thousand. The five districts of Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura and Birbhum comprise Jangalmahal, whereas Darjeeling and Kurseong subdivisions of Darjeeling district and Kalimpong district comprise the Hills region.

The state government also provides special packages in a few other regions which would also continue – 16 kg of rice and wheat per person per month through PDS to the Cyclone Aila-affected people in the Sundarbans and the farmers who lost land in Singur as a result of the illegal acquisition, 35 kg of rice and wheat per family through PDS to the families of tea garden workers, and 5 kg of rice and wheat per person per month for free to members of the Toto tribe in north Bengal.