Govt allocates 80,000 tonnes foodgrains for the poor

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The government has allocated 80 thousand tonnes of foodgrains for distribution among 5.5 million cardholders under a special vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme before the holy Eid-ul-Azha, reports BSS. Food and Disaster Management Ministry sources said the government, like the previous years, will distribute the foodgrains among the poor people free of cost and every family will get 10 to 15 kilograms. Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr M Abdur Razzak said social safety net programmes like VGF and VGD would continue for the ultra poor. There is no scope to stop these programmes unless poverty reduces in the country, he added. He said the country currently has the highest ever stock of more than 1.5 million tonnes of foodgrains. According to the ministry sources, under the special VGF programme, every union will get 1000 to 1500 VGF cards depending on the poverty rate in respective areas. Each of the unions in the cyclone Aila-hit areas will get 1500 cards.