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WB Offers Cheap Rice in Election Season

In a move unanimously termed ‘poll motivated’ by the media, the West Bengal government on Monday announced Rs 5,106 crore Social Welfare Stimulus Package providing rice at Rs 2 per kg and grant bank loans to Self-Help Groups and beneficiaries of Self Employment Schemes at four per cent.

A subsidy of Rs 370 crore will be required by the Public Distribution System to sell rice for the BPL population at Rs 2 per kg in the PDS throughout the year, Finance minister Asim Dasgupta said after a meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

There was a provision for Rs 30 crore for loans to Self-Help Groups and beneficiaries of Self Employment Schemes for bank loans at four per cent interest, he said.

There is also a special state housing scheme for the BPL population and for low income groups in rural and urban areas with an allocation of Rs 1,000 crore, he said.

Dasgupta said the objective of the stimulus package is to increase domestic demand, expand market and generate employment to alleviate the adverse effects of global recession on the state.

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