The Centre is all set to supply rice at Re 1-a-kg to all below poverty line families under the proposed Food Security Act, according to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister's office.

AP has launched the Re 1-a-kg rice scheme on November 1 this year.

"It is reliably learnt that a similar scheme will now be implemented all over the country for BPL families under the auspices of Sonia Gandhi as part of the food security programme," a press release from the CMO claimed.

"It is learnt that AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi evinced keen interest in the Re 1-a-kg rice scheme and how it is being successfully implemented for such a major chunk of the population in Andhra Pradesh. He was of the opinion that the popular scheme will definitely attract poor people and will be a boon to the poorest of the poor in the country in the days to come," the CMO release said.

"The UPA Government also felt that the Re 1-a-kg rice scheme should be introduced all over the country as part of the Food Security Bill," it said.

"Once the Union Cabinet approves the Bill, it will be introduced in the winter session of Parliament," the release added.

The Food Security Bill, now ready, aims to benefit 75 per cent of people in rural areas and 50 per cent in urban areas.

For general category the Bill proposes to provide food grains at 50 per cent of the Minimum Support Price. Once the Food Security Bill is passed and implemented, the subsidy on food grains would double from the present Rs 63,000 crore to Rs one lakh crore, the CMO release pointed out.

In AP, 7.5 crore people out of the total 8.4 crore were being supplied rice at Re 1-a-kg, the CMO claimed.