Modi government's ambitious 'Bharat Rice' project stalled in just four months
Bengaluru: The central government's ambitious 'Bharat Rice' scheme, aimed at distributing quality food at affordable prices, has been temporarily suspended since July. Under this scheme, rice was sold at ₹29 per kg, wheat flour at ₹27.50 per kg, and pulses at ₹60 per kg.
The 'Bharat Rice' scheme, which began on February 2, 2024, in the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, was designed to provide quality food to the common man at low prices. The scheme, overseen by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED), saw high demand from consumers. Supplies were maintained until June 10, after which deliveries ceased, leading to the current suspension. The Nafed website shows the rice to be out of stock.
Initially, the scheme involved distributing food items through mobile vans and select malls across various parts of the state. Consumers could purchase ten kilograms of rice or wheat flour, with pulses being available in some districts. However, not all promised deliveries were made.
For Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders, the state distributed five kilograms of rice per person for free, while Above Poverty Line (APL) cardholders received ten kilograms of rice at ₹15 per kg. However, many families without ration cards, including migrants and daily wage laborers, faced difficulties in accessing affordable food. The temporary halt in the scheme has added to their woes.
Vinaykumar, Head of NAFED Karnataka Division, informed that around 5,000 tonnes of Bharat rice, wheat flour, and pulses were sold through mobile vans and selected outlets like Reliance Mart and Jio Mart. Despite the high demand, supplies have run out, and no groceries have been delivered since July 1.
The primary reason for the suspension appears to be the depressed paddy production last year due to insufficient rainfall, making it challenging to sustain the scheme across the country. This, coupled with the financial burden on the government, led to the temporary halt.
The central government is now contemplating a new policy for the distribution of Bharat rice. Details of the new policy are awaited.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
