Indiana gains recognition for food stamp efficiency

Federal officials said Thursday that Indiana will be rewarded for having fewer errors in its food stamp program a year after the state was fined for making too many mistakes, including underpaying some food stamp recipients and overpaying others.

Indiana was among the most improved states from fiscal year 2009 to 2010, bringing its payment error rate down to 2.6 percent of cases in 2010 from 7.1 percent the year before, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers food stamps.

USDA Undersecretary Kevin Concannon said Indiana will receive a $1.6 million bonus from the agency because of its progress.

“Indiana is certainly headed in the right direction,” he said.