Minister for Food and Civil Supplies K.H. Muniyappa on Monday said the Centre should not discriminate against the State while extending the benefits under the public distribution system (PDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) since nearly 40 lakh BPL families are deprived of the food grains provided by the government of India and the same was being distributed to them by the State from its own resources.
“Karnataka has a population of nearly seven crores. About four crore people were getting the PDS benefits from the Centre. Nearly 40 lakh beneficiaries don’t get the benefits. When the Centre can extend PDS benefits to 86 crore people in the country, why are the 40 lakh families in the State deprived of the same,” the Minister asked.
Speaking at the “One Nation, One Ration Card” awareness drive organised by the Department of Food and Public Distribution at the KSOU convocation hall here, Mr. Muniyappa said he had raised this issue during his recent meeting with Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal.
