Bengaluru: The state government of Karnataka, is planning to bring down rice being distributed to people under the ambitious ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme implemented by the Siddaramaiah-led government, to five kilograms. The government also collected detailed information about the effects of the planning reduction in rice for ration card holders, from the food department.
Govt is thinking of issuing other practical alternatives like giving oil, toor dal and salt in place of rice to the people. The ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme announced by Siddaramaiah after becoming the chief minister promised every family holding ‘Antyodaya’ card. The poor people were eligible to get 35 kg rice while every member of BPL cardholder’s family gets seven kg of rice free of cost.
Siddamaiah while speaking to the press in Delhi said,” His government, if voted back to power, would have raised the quantity of rice per head to ten kg. He said that the ration rice helps poor people to survive in spite of drought and floods.”
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah had expressed resentment at this planned reduction in rice under the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme from seven to five kg per person. He wanted to know from whether the govt is so deficient in funds that it cannot set aside Rs 4,000 crore out of Rs 2.4 lac crore budget of the state for poor people.
