RAJSHAHI, Sept 05 (BSS): More than 0.77 million extreme poor families in all eight districts under Rajshahi division have started getting rice at a rate of Tk 10 per kg since Monday last.
The selected card holders will get 30 kilograms of rice every month through village ration dealers at a rate of Tk 10 per kg under the 'Food Friendly Programme'.
"Requisite number of village ration dealers has already been appointed at all unions of the division to sell the rice," said Md Muniruzzaman, regional controller of food in Rajshahi, adding "We will sell 0.23 million tonnes of rice through 1,385 dealers every month."
The government wants to provide food support to the extreme poor families during the crisis period.
For every 500 families, a village ration dealer has been appointed for distributing the rice smoothly while the widows and physically challenged people are getting priority in the programme.
The food controller also said that the rice selling programme at Tk 10 per kg will continue for three months from September to November.
The months have been selected in view of non-availability of work for the day-labourers, he added.
He, however, vowed to take punitive measures against those who will engage in any irregularities during the programme.
Meanwhile, poor and extreme poor people of the division are very happy after getting quality rice at Tk 10 per kilogram under the government's 'Food Friendly Programme'.
"We are getting quality rice this time without facing any irregularities," said Momtaj Uddin, an elderly man, who came to purchase rice at Darusha crossing under Paba upazila.
Another beneficiary Sazzad Hossain Ali, who came to buy rice at Rajabari, said the quality of rice is very good. This type of rice is being sold at least at Tk 50 per kilograms in the markets, he added.
