Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi-led Union government of conspiring to “scuttle” the State government’s election guarantee by ensuring that Karnataka does not get the required quantum of rice to implement its Anna Bhagya scheme, which aims to provide 10 kg of rice for each member of the BPL family and Antyodaya card holders from July 1.
Alleging that the BJP-led Central government was indulging in politics on the issue, he called it “anti-poor” for trying to derail the scheme which would benefit the poor. He said the Congress government was making all efforts to get rice from other sources and rice-producing States, aimed at supplying it to the needy on time, as promised.
At a press conference here, he said the Centre had taken a “political decision” after agreeing to provide rice to the State. “After the Food Corporation of India (FCI) agreed to provide rice, we had promised to provide rice from July 1. We cannot get that quantum of rice in Karnataka.... Now they are saying they cannot supply rice,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
‘Out of fear’
The Central government had taken the decision as they fear the Congress would earn a good name by implementing the scheme which would benefit the poor, he said. “The Centre is trying to do politics on this issue,” he claimed. FCI officials had said they had seven lakh tonne rice stocks, but despite that they were unwilling to provide rice, he said, and asked, “What is the intention behind it?”
Noting that the State government was approaching rice-growing States as an alternative, the Chief Minister said it had approached Chhattisgarh, and he himself had spoken to the Telangana Chief Minister, and Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa was going there on Thursday. “We are expecting a positive response from them,” he said. Punjab was also approached, he added.
Targeting the government for not providing rice to the State despite having stocks, the Chief Minister said the rice was not sought for free and was to be purchased by paying money. “They are ready to give to private players, but not to the State government,” he said. He added the government would also try to get rice from the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Consumers Cooperative Federation of India (NCCF) to keep up its promise made to people.
“Even now we will try our level best to provide rice ... if there is a delay, the Government of India is responsible for it,” the Chief Minister said.
Letters exchanged
Explaining details of exchange of letters between the government and the FCI, Mr. Siddaramaiah said to provide an additional 5 kg of rice, the State would require 2.28 lakh tonnes of rice every month. After the Cabinet decision, officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department had spoken to FCI officials, and they said they would supply as they had the stock. He and Mr. Muniyappa had personally spoken to the Deputy General Manager of the FCI. The officer had agreed to provide 2.28 lakh tonnes of rice every month at the rate of ₹34 a kg plus ₹2.6 transport charge — total ₹36.6. “This will cost the State exchequer ₹840 crore a month, and ₹10,092 crore annually,” the Chief Minister said.
Agreeing to provide the required quantity of rice, the FCI had sent two letters on June 12 in response to the State government’s letter dated June 9, Mr. Siddaramaiah said. The FCI had agreed to provide 2,08,425.75 tonnes of rice for July under Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS-Domestic) without e-auction at the rate of ₹34 a kg. In another letter, they had agreed for another 13,819.485 tonnes.
After the Central government took a “political decision”, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, on June 13 the Ministry of Consumer Affairs - Department of Food and Public Distribution wrote to the FCI stating that “the sale of wheat and rice under OMSS-D for State governments is discontinued”.
