Akhilesh launches ‘Samajwadi Namak’

25 November, Lucknow

After launching Samajwadi pension, ambulance, smart phone and laptops, now Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today launched the Samajwadi Namak (salt) for the poor in the state.

The project, launched by the Government in collaboration with Tata Trust, in the first phase will provide the double fortified salt in 10 districts of the state. Uttar Pradesh will be the first state to introduce such double fortified salt for the poor.

Launching the salt, Mr Yadav said this double fortified salt is good for the anaemic people and will be a boon for the coming generation. “This Samajwadi Party Government is always concerned for the health parameters of the people and this salt which contains iron and iodine will end the anaemic problem in the people to some extent,” he said, adding that in the first phase, it will be distributed in 10 districts and in the coming days it will be introduced in the entire state.

Ranjan Shanker, Director, Tata Trust, appreciated the move of the state government in a public health initiative and claimed that UP becomes the first state to launch such high quality salt for the poor.

Food and Supply Minister Kamal Akhtar and Principal Secretary Ajay Chauhan also spoke on the occasion.

In the first phase, 10 districts — Meerut, Moradabad, Farrukhabad, Etawah, Auriyya, Hamirpur, Ferozabad, Sidharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar and Mau — would get the facility. This salt will be distributed through 8586 shops among 46.2-lakh ration card holders covering 2.31-crore population.

The price of one kg Samajwadi Namak would be Rs 3 for the BPL/Antodaya ration card holders while the APL would get it at Rs 6 a kg. The Government would provide a subsidy of Rs 48.52-crore for the scheme with a target to distribute 60,000 metric tonnes of salt in these 10 districts.