After the refusal by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to provide additional rice to Karnataka, the launch of the Anna Bhagya scheme on July 1 by the Congress government hangs in balance as it is scouting for the availability of rice at competitive cost in other States even as the financial viability also comes into question.
Indication by Friday
While a team of officials went to Telangana on Thursday to look for the rice that can be procured, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is in touch with his counterparts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh to mop up the additional rice required to launch the scheme. A clear indication about the launch will be available by Friday, a top government source said.
About 2.28 lakh tonnes of rice is required every month to provide an additional five kgs of rice per person in the family of those holding BPL and Antyodaya cards. If Karnataka gets rice from other States, it has to spend a minimum of ₹2.60 per kg on transportation while it could go up further in case rice comes from Chhattisgarh. Besides, the cost of implementing the scheme could go up as the State may have to purchase rice from the open market.
“We are trying whatever is possible to procure rice before the launch and implement the scheme on time. We have given our word that rice will be given and rice will be given,” Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa told presspersons here during the post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday.
Stating that the BJP government at the Centre was “politicking” on the issue of distribution of free rice to the poor in the State, he said, “Though the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had agreed to supply rice to us on June 12, it went back on its words on June 13 and intimated us that it cannot supply rice. Karnataka had not asked the rice for free and we had offered to pay ₹34 per kg to purchase the required quantum.”
Not from open market
The Minister said the FCI had denied additional rice to Karnataka despite holding 7 lakh tonnes of rice in its godowns in the State while it had floated tenders to sell 15 lakh tonnes. “During the UPA regime at the Centre, every State was not ruled by the UPA. However, all States were treated equally.” When asked if the State was looking to buy rice in the open market at a higher price, Mr. Muniyappa said the State would not go for purchase from the open market and was looking at government agencies.
