Most States have agreed to implement the Food Security Act within three to six months, barring the newly-formed Telangana, which said it would do so in a year’s time, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said here on Friday after the State Food Ministers meet.

The July 4 deadline for implementation of the Act was recently extended by three months by the Government, as 25 States and Union territories are yet to implement it. The Act, which ensures right to food, was brought in by the erstwhile UPA Government in October 2013 to provide subsidised foodgrains at ₹1-5/kg to over 800 million poor people through the public distribution system.

Briefing the media, Paswan also announced that the Government was considering raising the limit of 5 kg of subsidised foodgrain per person per month, without giving a new figure.

On identification of beneficiaries, Paswan said the Centre would follow the formula being adopted by the Madhya Pradesh Government of targeting Scheduled Caste and Tribe families along with vulnerable sections such as domestic workers, rickshawpullers etc.

As per this formula, SC/ST families which have even one taxpayer or a Class I, II, III Government employee will be not be entitled to subsidised foodgrains, he said.

According to sources, the West Bengal Government, which has not yet started implementing the Act, demanded 100 per cent coverage, as well as extension of deadline by six months.

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