Ration card holders want pulses instead of cash: Karnataka Minister Muniyappa

'As per the recent survey, 93 per cent BPL card holders favoured getting pulses, sugar or cooking oil. So I will discuss these issues with the officials and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,' he said.

New Delhi: Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa on Tuesday said that the state government is planning to distribute pulses, sugar or cooking oil to below poverty line card holders instead of cash or rice under Anna Bhagya scheme.

"At present, under Anna Bhagya scheme, cash is being given to beneficiaries. As per the recent survey, 93 per cent BPL card holders favoured getting pulses, sugar or cooking oil. So I will discuss these issues with the officials and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah," he told reporters here.

Muniyappa, who met Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi, said that the Central Minister assured to give any quantity of rice to the state to give to the poor. However, the Centre is giving 5 kg per person under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana to the BPL card holders. If the state government provided additional rice under the Anna Bhagya, it would be too much for beneficiaries, he said.

Last year, Karnataka sought additional rice from the Centre to distribute to the poor under Anna Bhagya scheme. The Centre refused to give any additional rice to states citing insufficient stocks. Following which Karnataka started giving cash to ration card holders. Now the Centre said it will ready to give rice to states due to sufficient availability of stocks.