Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday reviewed preparations for the launch of 3rd and 4th phases of the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in the state on 25 September 2021.

After a virtual meeting with the MLA’s and Deputy Commissioners, Thakur said the state-level function will be organised at Shimla for interaction with scheme’s beneficiaries in which Union Minister Piyush Goyal will be present.

Similarly, functions will also be organised at district headquarters, sub-division, block, panchayat and fair price shop level in which few beneficiaries would also be provided ration bags.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to preside over this function but due to committed engagements, he would not be able to join this event, he added.

He stated that the MLA’s will also participate in the function from one of the places in their respective assembly constituency.

However, the functions would not be organised in the blocks where the model code of conduct had been enforced due to by-elections to the PRI’s.

In addition, as many as 140 LED screens will be set up at prominent locations across the state to enable people to participate and see the live telecast of the state-level function which will be telecasted at district, sub-division, block and panchayat level, the CM said.

He further stated that the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was a major initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in challenging Covid-19 times to provide food security to the poor, migrant labourers and unemployed.

Himachal had more than 7.18 lakh ration card holders being covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) covering a population of above 29 lakh who will be provided free ration by the end of October 2021.

The main objective of the organising function was to ensure maximum participation of the beneficiaries in it so that they could be made aware about this special scheme launched by the Centre last year to give relief to the NFSA families of the state.

25 September was also the birth anniversary of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhayay who gave the concept of Antyodaya and it was a relevant day to carry forward his message, he added.

He directed the DC’s to take effective steps for checking the spread of the Covid pandemic, especially focusing on contact tracing so that the appropriate Covid behaviour could be followed.

He asked them to monitor the progress of the second phase of vaccination against Covid so that the cent-percent target could be achieved by the end of November 2021 adding that till now, 23.10 lakh people had been administered a second dose of the vaccine.

State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajinder Garg, chief secretary Ram Subhag Singh, Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies department C Paulrasu were also present on the occasion among others.