Congress in Karnataka to stage protests against Centre for 'denying' rice to fulfil poll guarantee
Bengaluru, June 19: The Congress in Karnataka will stage demonstrations on Tuesday across all district headquarters against the BJP-led Central government for "denying" rice for the State's 'Anna Bhagya' scheme which offers 10 kg rice to each member of families living below the poverty line.
The Centre recently discontinued the sale of rice and wheat from the central pool under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to state governments.
According to an order issued by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), "The sale of wheat and rice under the OMSS (domestic) for state governments is discontinued". However, the sale of rice under the OMSS will be continued for northeastern states, hilly states and states facing law and order situations, natural calamities at an existing rate of Rs 3,400 per quintal, it said.
The move comes amid the slow progress of the monsoon and rising prices of rice and wheat. Rice prices have increased by up to 10 per cent in the last one year at the mandi level and by 8 per cent in the last one month, as per official data.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, said on Monday the protest is against the Centre for "troubling the state government by denying rice".
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"The Centre has decided to trouble us so that we cannot give rice to the poor people. We are not asking them to give us rice free of cost. There has been a system from the beginning. If there was rice in the central warehouses, it was given to those demanding it," Shivakumar told reporters here.
"We will stage a demonstration across all the district headquarters in the state tomorrow. We have asked our leaders to participate. I will also participate in the agitation in Bengaluru," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state needs 2.28 lakh metric tonnes of rice to fulfill its "guarantee" scheme of 10 kg rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme.
"Only Chhattisgarh has offered us 1.5 lakh metric tonnes. Nowhere else rice in such a huge quantity is available, including Punjab," Siddaramaiah told reporters.
He reiterated that on June 9 the state government had written to the Food Corporation of India about the state's requirement of rice.
On June 12, the FCI responded favourably saying it had adequate rice to meet Karnataka's demand.
However, two days later, the FCI turned down Karnataka's request, Siddaramaiah alleged.
"What should we call this? Isn't it politics? They are indulging in politics using rice meant for the poor. This is a big conspiracy by the Centre to deny rice to the poor because it will come in favour of Congress," he charged.
Five kilograms of (additional) rice to each member of the BPL families costs Rs 840 crore a month to the state government whereas annually it comes to Rs 10,092 crore, Siddaramaiah said.
"We are ready to bear the cost and give rice to the people. The Centre is not giving us rice despite having it," the Chief Minister said.
According to him, the state does not have adequate stock of ragi or maize to supply five kg of them to each member of BPL families.
He added that at most the state can supply only two kg of ragi and maize to the beneficiaries a month for six months only.
Karnataka has approached the National Consumer Cooperative Federation, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation, and Central Warehousing Corporation to procure rice, Siddaramaiah said.
The chief minister said the state government will implement the 'Anna Bhagya' scheme despite the "politics" played by the Centre.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
