Karnataka CM says Union govt is conspiring to 'fail' 'Anna Bhagya' scheme by denying required rice
Bengaluru, Jun 14: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of conspiring to "fail" the Congress administration's poll guarantee, by ensuring that the state doesn't get the required amount of rice to implement its 'Anna Bhagya' scheme, which provides additional rice for poor.
Alleging that the Central government was playing politics on the issue, he called it "anti-poor" for trying to "scuttle" the scheme which would benefit the needy.
The Chief Minister also said his government was making all efforts to get rice from other sources and producing states, aimed at supplying it to the needy on time, as promised.
"The Centre has taken a political decision after agreeing to provide us rice. Based on their Food Corporation of India (FCI) agreeing to provide rice, we had promised to provide rice to poor from July 1. We cannot get that much rice in Karnataka...now after agreeing to provide rice they are now saying they can't at the behest of the Centre," Siddaramaiah said.
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Addressing a press conference here, he said the Central government has taken a political decision not to provide rice to Karnataka government, as they fear Congress party earning a good name by implementing the scheme which will benefit the poor.
"The Centre is trying to scuttle the scheme that would have provided another 5 kg of free rice for the poor. The Centre is trying to do politics on this issue. FCI officials had said that they have seven lakh tonne rice stocks, despite that they have backtracked, what is the intention behind it. It is to scuttle the programme. BJP is anti-poor," he added.
As part of implementing Congress' five poll guarantees, the Siddaramaiah government earlier this month decided to roll out 'Anna Bhagya' scheme, providing a total 10 kg of food grains/rice to every member of a BPL household and Antyodaya card holders every month from July 1.
Five kg of rice is already being given to every member of a BPL household, it is now being enhanced by another five kg by the new government.
Stating that the state government is approaching rice growing states, Siddaramaiah said it has approached Chhattisgarh and Telangana, and he himself has spoken to Chief Ministers there, and Minister K H Muniyappa is going to Telangana tomorrow to "get rice from there".
"We are expecting a response from them, Punjab was also approached, but they are not in the position to help now," he said adding that there is certainly the option of writing or approaching the Centre to reconsider the decision, "but what their intention is, is the question. It is a conspiracy to fail our guarantee."
Targeting the government for not providing rice to the state despite having stocks, the Chief Minister said the rice was not sought for free; it was to be purchased by paying money.
"They are ready to supply to private players, but not to the state government," he said adding that "the Centre has put us into crisis by FCI backtracking after having promised to provide rice. Based on their assurance we had promised to provide rice from July 1."
The Chief Minister said Karnataka in addition to approaching rice producing states, will also try to get rice from National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and National Consumers Cooperative Federation of India Limited (NCCF) to keep up its promise made to people.
"Even now we will try our level best to provide rice.....if there is delay, it is the Government of India which is responsible for it," he said.
Sharing details of what transpired so far, Siddaramaiah said to give extra five kg of rice we will require 2.28 lakh metric tonne of rice every month. After Cabinet decision, officials from the state's Food and Civil Supplies Department spoke to FCI officials and they had said they will supply as they have the stock.
Pointing out that as it is an important scheme of the state government, he and Minister K H Muniyappa had personally spoke to Deputy General Manager of FCI, he said.
The officer had agreed to provide 2.28 lakh metric tonne of rice every month at the rate of Rs 34 per kg plus Rs 2.60 transport charge -- total Rs 36.60. This will cost the state government Rs 840 crore per month and Rs 10,092 crore annually, he added.
Noting that after accepting to provide the required quantity of rice, the FCI had sent two letters on June 12 in response to state government's letter dated June 9, Siddaramaiah said and added that in the letter they had agreed to provide 2,08,425.750 metric tonne of rice for July under Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) without e-auction at the rate of Rs 34 per kg. In another letter they had agreed for another 13,819.485 metric tonne.
Alleging that the Central government took a "political decision", he said on June 13, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs - Department of Food and Public Distribution wrote a letter to FCI stating that "the sale of wheat and rice under OMSS(D) for state governments is discontinued...."
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Why remove Mahatma Gandhi's name, asks Priyanka on move to replace MGNREGA
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday slammed the government over its move to change the name of MGNREGA, asking what is the government's intention behind removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi who is the tallest leader not just in India but in the world.
A bill to repeal the MGNREGA and bring a new law for rural employment -- Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 -- is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha. According to a copy of the bill, it seeks to introduce the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, in Parliament and repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005.
Asked about the government's move, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Whenever the name of a scheme is changed there are so many changes that have to be made in offices, stationery... for which money is spent. So, what is the benefit, why it is being done?"
"Why is Mahatma Gandhi's name being removed. Mahatma Gandhi is considered the tallest leader not just in the country but in the world, so removing his name, I really don't understand what is the objective? What is their intention?" she told reporters in Parliament House complex.
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"Even when we are debating it is on other issues not the real issues of the people. Time is being wasted, money is being wasted, they are disrupting themselves," Priyanka Gandhi added.
The bill aims at establishing a "rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047", by providing a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work.
The bill has been listed in the Lok Sabha in the supplementary list of business issued on Monday.
Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in the statement of purpose of the Bill, said MGNREGA has provided guaranteed wage-employment to rural households over the past 20 years.
However, "further strengthening has become necessary in view of the significant socio-economic transformation witnessed in the rural landscape driven by widespread coverage of the social security interventions and saturation-oriented implementation of major government schemes", he said.
