Objective
The Annapurna scheme aims at providing food security to meet the requirement of those Senior Citizens who through eligible have remained uncovered under the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS). Under the Annapurna Scheme, 10 Kg. of food grains per month are to be provided 'free of cost' to the Beneficiary. The number of persons to be benefited from the Scheme will, in the first instance, be 20% of the persons eligible to receive pension under NOAPS in States/Union Territories.
Background
The National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS), launched in 1995, seeks to provide pension @ Rs. 75 per month to 68.81 lakh destitutes, aged 65 years and above. Thus, 20% of 68.81 lakh would imply that 13.762 lakh beneficiaries would be eligible for coverage under the Annapurna Scheme. These Beneficiaries are proposed to be covered in a phased manner depending on the availability of funds and the performance of the State authorities. The State Governments are required to distribute the allocation between Districts, based on the ground situation in real terms. The identification of Beneficiaries will be a necessary first step and State Government should initiate immediate action in this behalf.
Eligibility Criteria
Central assistance under Annapurna Scheme will be provided to the Beneficiaries fulfilling the following criteria:
a) The age of the applicant (male or Female) should be 65 years or above.
b) The applicant must be "destitute" in the sense of having little or no regular means of subsistence from his/her own source of income or through financial support from family members or other sources. In order to determine destitution, the criteria (if any) currently in force in the State/UTs could also be followed.
c) The applicant should not be in receipt of pension under the NOAPS or State Pension Scheme.
d) As mentioned above, the Beneficiary would be entitled for 10 Kgs of food grains (wheat or rice) per month free of cost.
Implementing Authorities
a) The Department of Public Distribution, Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution will ensure the supply of required quantities of prescribed quality food grains from the godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to the agency designated by the State Government.
b) At the State level, the State Department of Public Distribution (Departments of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs) and at the District level, the Collector/District Magistrate/Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat will be squarely responsible for the implementation of the scheme. The state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department will purchase the food grains from the Food Corporation of India on payment of economic cost and will ensure that the FCI supplies the food grains to the district as per district-wise allocation decided by the state within the overall allocation of the State concerned. The Collector/CEO, through the District Officers of the State Food,Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department will responsible for ensuring the availability of food grains at the District level and for distributing the same through the Network of Fair Price Shops under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The Collector/CEO will make arrangement for the distribution of food grains and issue the Entitlement Cards through the Panchayat/Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department and ensure that the Beneficiaries covered under Annapurna are not receiving any old age pensions.
Identification of Beneficiaries
a) The Gram Panchayat would be required to identify, prepare and display list of persons eligible to receive benefits under the annapurna Scheme, after giving wide publicity to the Scheme. They will ensure that Beneficiaries under Annapurna are not already receiving any old age pensions. The Panchayat will also be responsible for the distribution of the Entitlement Card to Beneficiaries, the dissemination of information about the Scheme and the procedure for securing benefits under the same.
b) The Municipalities will be responsible for the above activities in the implementation of the Scheme in their respective areas.
c) The State Government would communicate the targets for "Annapurna" to the Panchayat. Municipalities for identification of the Beneficiaries.
Where and how to apply?
The person living in rural area have to apply to the Panchayat and the person living in Urban Area to Notified Area Committee on a plain paper. After the approval of the Gram Sabha or the Notified Area Committee, it will be further approved by the Welfare Department, Himachal Pradesh and the Ration Card will be issued by the Panchyat Secretay/Panchayat Sahayak/Food & Supplies Officer/Inspector, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department of the concerned area.
Supporting Documents
No supporting document is required to be submitted by the applicant.
Forms to be filled
No form to be filled
Fee
No fee will be charged
source:http://admis.hp.nic.in
No comments:
Post a Comment