Union minister asks Siddaramaiah govt to quit if it cannot fulfil poll promise; Congress slams Centre, questions sale of rice for ethanol production
Deputy CM D K Shivakumar with party leaders during a protest against the discontinuation of sale of rice to Karnataka, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday asked the Congress government in Karnataka to either provide free 10 kg of rice as promised during the elections or vacate the seat of power. “The Congress leaders gave false promises only to win elections. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take back his statements in this regard,” Karandlaje told reporters in Chikkamagaluru.
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The Centre earlier this month discontinued the sale of rice and wheat from the central pool under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to several state governments, including Karnataka, to “ensure inflationary trends are kept under control”.
The Congress on Wednesday said the decision was to “scuttle” the Karnataka government’s Anna Bhagya scheme. The Karnataka government had sought 13,819 tonnes of rice for its Anna Bhagya scheme under the OMSS without e-auction for July at the rate of R3,400 per quintal. Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Most recent chronology of Modi’s anti-poor and vendetta politics: May 13th, 2023: PM and BJP rejected comprehensively by people of Karnataka. June 2nd, 2023: CM Karnataka announces implementation of Anna Bhagya guarantee from July 1st that will give 10kg free food grains to poor families. June 13th, 2023: Union Government issues circular banning sale of rice from FCI to states under Open Market Sale Scheme. This is done to scuttle Anna Bhagya.”
He said the Karnataka government was willing to pay the Food Corporation of India (FCI) R3,400 per quintal, but that window was closed. “But FCI continues to sell rice at R2,000 per quintal for ethanol production and blending of petrol. Food security should be of paramount concern at all times,” Ramesh charged.
The Anna Bhagya scheme, one of the five pre-poll guarantees of the Congress, promises 10 kg rice for every BPL (below poverty line) family in the state.
Five kg of rice was already being provided to every member of a BPL household in Karnataka. It is now being enhanced to 10 kg by the new government.The Punjab government has come forward to supply the rice required for Karnataka’s Anna Bhagya scheme.
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