TNI Bureau: Marking two years in office, the Odisha Government unveiled the Chief Minister Annapurna Scheme, aimed at ensuring food security for every household in the state. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act and State Food Security Scheme will receive an additional 5 kg of rice free of cost, taking the total entitlement to 10 kg per person.

The scheme will benefit around 3.28 crore people from over one crore families, covering nearly 80 per cent of Odisha’s population. Calling the annual expenditure of ₹8,813 crore a “sacred social investment”, the Chief Minister said no family should suffer from hunger or malnutrition.

The anniversary celebrations also witnessed the inauguration and foundation-laying of major infrastructure projects in Bhubaneswar, including new road corridors and the proposed 20-storey Janashraya Bhavan, which will provide affordable accommodation for 2,000 people.

Smart phones for Anganwadi workers and the launch of the Subhadra Shakti Samvad programme were among other highlights of the event.