The distribution of free ration announced by the Kerala government in the light of the coronavirus spread, will begin on April 1. The government will also be distributing free cereal kits this week.
The priority category will receive ration in the morning and the others will receive it in the afternoon.
The Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) categories will get the 35 kg of cereals that they have been getting every month.
Those in the Priority House Holds (PHH) category carrying pink cards will get five kilos of food grains per person.
Those in the non-priority category, holding white and blue cards, will get a minimum of 15 kilos of cereal. The blue card holders will continue to get more than 15 kilos as they did before.
The free ration distribution will be completed by April 20.
After that, there will be the distribution of free ration announced by the Central government.
All the precautions being observed for containing the COVID-19 spread will be in place during the ration distribution, said a post by Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Thilothaman.
"People should not crowd together at ration shops. At a time, not more than five people should be present at a shop. The shop-owner can use a token system to ensure this. They can also use the help of people's representatives and volunteers registered with panchayat and municipal regions," the Minister wrote.
He also said that the shopkeeper should find a way to deliver the items home if people find it difficult to reach the shop. The service of volunteers can also be used for this.
Free cereal will also be provided to families without ration cards. They need to produce an affidavit containing their Aadhaar number and phone number. If they give wrong information, they will be charged one and a half times the market price.
The Food and Civil Supplies Department will start work to provide free food kits to 87 lakh families in the state, the Minister's post said. "Work for this is happening in the 56 depots of Supplyco (Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation). The kits will be given away from the first week of April. The first kits will be given to the AAY, PHH categories and after that kits will be given to the non priority groups.”
Arrangements are also being made to provide kits to those who are in quarantine and also to transgender people.