Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
K
arnataka government on Wednesday has decided to give cash instead of rice till rice is procured.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that an amount of Rs.170 instead of 5 kg of rice (Rs.34 per kg) will be credited to the account of the beneficiaries through DBT until the state government is able to procure rice.
He was speaking to the media persons at Vidhana soudha today.As soon as the state is able to procure the rice,rice will be distributed to BPL and Anthyodaya card holders instead of money.
He said that this decision was taken in the cabinet with the intention of not going back from the guarantee given by our government to the people of the state.
‘The BJP in the state should have talked to the center about giving rice to the poor.I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and State Food Ministers and requested them to supply rice.
NCCF,NAFED,Kendriya Bhandara,these three organizations have increased the price prescribed for the supply of rice.
NCCF suggested 32.94 paise and we asked for Rs 32.24.Tenders are being called transparently to buy rice in the open market, he added.
But it has been promised that rice will be provided from July 1. The state needs 2,29,000 metric tons of rice every month, which no state can supply.
According to the Food Security Act formed by the UPA government,earlier our government was supplying up to 7 kg of rice to the people.
Now the price of rice has increased in the states of Andhra Pradesh,Telangana and Punjab,he said.
CM meets BJP’s challenge
While the state government was working hard to provide rice to the poor and the middle class,the BJP was criticizing Siddaramaiah-led government.
A challenge was put forth by the BJP, asking the government to provide cash,if it is not possible to provide rice.
Responding to this challenge, the government decided to directly deposit the amount of rice into the accounts of the eligible beneficiaries,draining the BJP’s quiver.
