Finally, free saris for poor by Oct-end

LUCKNOW: It is official now. The Akhilesh Yadav government will finally start free distribution of saris to below poverty line (BPL) women in the state from the next month, fulfilling one of its important pre-poll promises.

However, the distribution of blankets to the old and the poor people will start later in the winter.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting presided over by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav here on Wednesday. “We have decided to start distributing saris from October-end. A decision on distribution of blankets will be taken later in the winter,” minister for panchayati raj Balram Yadav disclosed to Hindustan Times.

The date and place for the launch of the scheme are yet to be decided, said the minister who earlier held a prolonged meeting with the department officials here in his office before the chief minister called a meeting on the same issue in the evening. “We have left it to the convenience of the chief minister,” Yadav said.

Sources, however, said the distribution could start in districts like Etawah, Mainpuri, Kannauj or Azamgarh, though it was for the CM to take a final call in this regard.

In its assembly election manifesto last year, the Samajwadi Party (SP) promised distribution of saris and the blankets to the poor.

The government order issued in June said two polyester saris each would be distributed to women above 18 years of age belonging to below poverty line (BPL) families and one blanket each would be given to the BPL family members above 65—all free.

Nevertheless, the government was not actually able to begin the distribution despite having made an allocation of Rs 800 crore in the budget, largely because of the intricacies involved.

The gover nment had to change the specifications which were earlier fixed for the purchase of saris and blankets.

At both the meetings held by the minister and the chief minister respectively on Wednesday, it was felt that the delivery of this important pre-poll promise was already too late and now it must start without ant further delay. Sources said it was also pointed out at the meetings that the distribution of blankets too should start as early as possible keeping in mind the coming into force of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections which were hardly six months away.

“There are no hurdles now and the committees headed by the district magistrates in the districts have been asked to start purchasing saris strictly as per the fresh guidelines and start the distribution of the same from October-end,” the minister claimed.

He said two crore beneficiaries of saris had been identified all over the state and going by the fact that each woman would be gifted two saris each, four crore saris would have to be purchased from various agencies.

“But the chief minister had made it very clear that the state’s weavers should be given preference over any other suppliers in purchase of saris,” he said.