Close on the heels of enhancing benefits under the free rice scheme of Anna Bhagya, the government is set to weed out ineligible beneficiaries by initiating measures against well-to-do people who are misusing the scheme by getting BPL ration cards.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa said a comprehensive inquiry would be conducted based on the information available with the department. Stern action would be initiated against those who have managed to get BPL cards by violating the norms, based on the outcome of the inquiry, the Minister said.
Pending applications
Pointing out that 3,18,907 applications seeking BPL cards were pending before the department at the end of July, Mr. Muniyappa said the government would take a call on issuing new cards soon. One month time would be given for effecting changes in the cards, such as inclusion or deletion of names and cancellation of cards. If ineligible beneficiaries do not cancel their cards using this opportunity, the government will commence action against them, he said.
Referring to the decision by the government to deposit ₹170 per person a month to the accounts of beneficiaries instead of five kg rice as a temporary measure, he said a total of ₹566 crore had been deposited in the accounts of about one crore families in the last 25 days. With the Food Corporation of India refusing to sell extra rice to Karnataka to carry out the scheme, the State government launched payment of money instead of rice as a temporary measure.
On ragi and jowar
Answering queries, Mr. Muniyappa said discussions had been held on procuring eight lakh tonnes of ragi and three lakh tonnes of jowar under PDS. The State had also requested the Centre to increase the Minimum Support Price for ragi to ₹5,000 a tonne and jowar to ₹4,500 a tonne, he noted.
Final picture likely in a week on procuring rice from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Stating that the neighbouring Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have come forward to provide rice for Karnataka’s Anna Bhagya scheme, Food Minister K.H. Muniyappa on Friday said a final picture would emerge within a week.
Stating that talks with the two States were expected to reach final stages in about a week, the Minister said 10 kg of rice would be given to poor families, instead of the present system of giving money in lieu of rice, from September if things go well.
However, he made it clear that the government would buy rice from these States only if they sell at the rates prescribed by the Food Corporation of India.
