The Centre on Tuesday released the advance first installment of assistance to Assam under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). The total amount released under this stood at Rs 272,14,00,000 (Two Hundred Seventy-Two Crore and Fourteen Lakh).
This comes amidst the ongoing protests by fair price shop owners in Guwahati which entered the second day today. Protesting shop owners had planned to take out 'Dispur Chalo' procession tomorrow.
The Centre's move comes as a relief to these protesting fair-price shop owners. The funds released under NFSA for 2023-24 is for intra-state movement and handling of foodgrains, fair price shop dealers' basic and additional margin.
An official letter read, "I am directed to convey the sanction of the President to the payment of a sum of Rs.272,14,00,000/- (Rupees Two Hundred Seventy Two Crore and Fourteen Lakh only) as Advance first installment of Central assistance to State Government of Assam under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme-4048, "Assistance to State Agencies for intra-state movement of foodgrains, FPS dealers basic and Additional margin under National Food Security Act, 2013" for the Year 2024-25."
Accordingly, an amount of Rs 91,63,00,000 (Ninety One Crore and Sixty Three Lakh) has been released for the intra-state movement and handling of foodgrains.
Rs 164,93,00,000 (One Hundred Sixty Four Crore and Ninety Three Lakh) has been released as basic margin for FPS dealers, while a further Rs 15,58,00,000 (Fifteen Crore and Fifty Eight Lakh) has been released as additional margin for FPS dealers.
The letter also mentioned that this amount was part of the Centre's share of 75 per cent for Assam. The amount sanctioned "would be subject to adherence to the provision of the Food Security (Assistance to State Government) Rules, 2015," it added.
