Bengaluru, July 17: Food and Civil Supplies Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan said that there would not be any reduction in the quantity of rice being distributed to the BPL card holders under Anna Bhagya scheme next month.

Speaking to reporters at the Vikasa Soudha here on Tuesday, he said that in the Budget, the Chief Minister had slashed the quantity of rice from 7 kg to 5 kg and promised of giving other items. But during the debate on the Budget, he had said that there would not be any changes in the quantity of rice under the scheme. After the budget, he had met the Chief Minister and urged him not to cut the quantity of rice, but it was left to his discretion to give other items like salt, sugar and Palmolive oil to the beneficiaries.  Even he has noticed the confusion among people regarding the quantity of rice. If it was true, the Chief Minister would have called him and discussed it. But so far, the CM has not discussed anything about it, he clarified.

The department has 280 warehouses in the state. Opposition Leader BS Yeddyurappa had alleged that food grains were rottenning in the warehouses in the state. Now, he was getting all the details about the present condition of the warehouses in the state. Once the department Secretary returned from New Delhi, he, along with him would visit the warehouses to know their condition, the minister said.

Ration stolen: officer suspended

The Minister said that total 1165 quintal rice, 196 quintal wheat and 36 quintal tur dal was stolen from the department warehouse at Nanjangud. Following the incident, Mysuru Deputy Director Rameshwarappa was suspended. Apart from him, depot manager Mylari and computer operator Basavaraju were suspended and registered a case, he said.

Christian community leaders have met him today. Christians were in large number in Udupi, Mangaluru, Chikmagalur and Mysuru region. He would personally visit those districts on August 15 and take stock of the situation to solve their problems, he said.  



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Belthangadi: A leopard was captured in a cage set up by the forest department near the house of Gurikanda Ananda Shetty in Savanalu village late Friday night, September 20. This marks the second leopard capture in the village within a month.

The area has seen frequent leopard sightings over the past few months, leading to concerns among the residents. After a leopard was caught on September 1, the forest department had safely relocated it. However, another leopard reappeared in the village shortly afterward, preying on a domestic chicken, which led the residents to again request the forest department's intervention.

Responding to the request, forest officials reinstalled the cage last week, and the leopard was trapped around midnight. Villagers, now relieved, informed the forest department, which sent officials to examine the captured animal.

This is the second successful capture by the forest department in Savanalu within the past month.

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