Kerala government’s Onam kit distribution veers off track

Less than 15% of the beneficiaries have received the food kit with just 10 days left for the festival even as the government faces a paucity of essential items

The paucity of essential items required for the Kerala government’s Onam provision kit has thrown the ongoing distribution drive off track in the State. Less than 15% of the beneficiaries have received the food kit with just 10 days left for the festival. The Food and Civil Supplies Department, which had launched the State-wide programme on July 31, hoped to complete distribution among priority categories, chiefly Antodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) (yellow) and priority household (pink) card holders by August 7. However, the disbursal rate among such sections that came under the ambit of the National Food Security Act, 2013, remained poor. Only 10.54 lakh out of the 38.30 lakh beneficiaries in these categories have received the kits as on 1 p.m. on Tuesday.