Anna Bhagya: Karnataka govt to offer cash instead of 5 kg rice due to grain unavailability
To address rice procurement challenges, the Karnataka government will offer cash payments of Rs 34 per kilogram to beneficiaries instead of providing the additional 5kg of rice promised under the Anna Bhagya scheme.
The Congress, in its election manifesto, had promised to give an additional five kg rice a month along with five kg given by the Centre for free.
The state government said the disbursement of money will start from July 1 (Saturday).
Also Read:Â Karnataka govt ties up with 2 firms for drone-based land parcel mapping
The FCI (Food Corporation of India) has a standard rate of Rs 34 per kg rice. We tried to get rice but no institution came forward to supply us the required amount of rice (to give additionally), Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa briefed reporters here after a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday (June 28).
He said, Since the date for launching Anna Bhagya has arrived (July 1) and we had given word, today in the cabinet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other ministers arrived at a decision that till the time the rice is supplied, we will give money at the rate of Rs 34 per kg, which is the FCI rate, to the (BPL) ration card holders.
If there is one person in one card then the person will get Rs 170 a month against five kg additional rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme, the Minister explained.
Also Read:Â To ease Bengaluru traffic situation, govt mulls tunnel roads in city
Two persons in the ration card will be entitled for Rs 340 and if there are five members then they would get Rs 850 a month, he added.
Muniyappa said the government has made arrangements to directly deposit the amount into the beneficiaries accounts.
This will come into effect from July 1 itself. This is one of the important guarantees promised by our party. We had taken this decision in the first cabinet meeting after coming to power, the Minister noted.
(With agency inputs)
