No rice for scheme, Karnataka govt to give cash to BPL families

CM Siddaramaiah. File pic/PTI

As the Karnataka government is facing difficulty in procuring large quantities of rice required to fulfil its poll guarantee, it has decided to pay beneficiaries cash at the rate of Rs 34 per kilo, for the additional 5kg of the foodgrain 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.

Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa 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 R34 per kg, which is the FCI rate, to the (BPL) ration card holders."

Each person named in the card will get Rs 170 a month against 5 kg additional rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme, the minister explained. Muniyappa said the government has made arrangements to directly deposit the amount into the beneficiaries' accounts.

BJP IT cell boss booked for promoting enmity

A case has been registered against BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya for promoting enmity, police said on Wednesday. Congress's Ramesh Babu had filed a complaint in connection with a tweet posted by Malviya. The tweet showed an animated video allegedly portraying Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party in poor light. Malviya has been booked under sections 153(A) (promoting enmity), 120(B) (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 505(2) (statements encouraging enmity, animosity, or ill-will between classes) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. The BJP has called the FIR "politically motivated".

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