Siddaramaiah says Centre denying rice as 'Anna Bhagya' scheme hits roadblock

Siddaramaiah termed it an 'anti-poor', 'political decision' and a 'conspiracy' hatched by the BJP to deny rice for the Congress’ scheme.

In a setback to the Congress’ flagship Anna Bhagya scheme, the Union government has “stalled” sale of wheat and rice to state governments under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) (OMSSD) prohibiting the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell any additional rice to Karnataka for its ‘10 kg free rice’ scheme.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday termed it an “anti-poor, political decision” and a “conspiracy” hatched by the BJP to deny rice for the Congress’ scheme.

The state government may now find it difficult to launch Anna Bhagya in July, as promised earlier. “If there is any delay in implementation of the scheme, the Union government is responsible,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

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At present, BPL card holders are eligible for 5 kg rice under the National Food Securities Act (NFSA), the rice for which is allotted by the Centre. The Congress had promised another 5 kg from the state government’s end. The plan was to procure the additional rice from the FCI under the OMSSD.

The state requires up to 4.45 lakh tonnes of rice to distribute 10 kg rice per person to all Priority Households (PHH). Of this, 2.17 lakh tonnes is fulfilled under the NFSA. The state will have to purchase the rest from FCI.

FCI had responded to the state’s request for 2.28 lakh tonnes a month at Rs 34 a kg.

The transport cost would be Rs 2.60 a kg. This would cost the government Rs 840 crore.

“Suddenly, on June 13, the Union government wrote to the FCI, stopping OMSSD to state governments, which clearly shows that the Centre is trying to scuttle the Congress’ welfare scheme,” Siddaramaiah alleged. “We were taken aback as FCI officials in Bengaluru had assured us the additional rice. They had said 7 lakh tonnes were available,” he charged.

Officials from the Union ministry, however, said, “If the monsoon falters, the Centre requires rice stocks to distribute to states and release it to the open market to check prices.”

Now, the state government has reached out to Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa will meet Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said.

Karnataka is yet to get an affirmative response from Chhattisgarh. The state will also approach the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation, Siddaramaiah said. “No matter how much the BJP tries to scuttle our welfare schemes, we will ensure its implementation,” he added.

Sources in the Food and Civil Supplies Department said the state will have to bear additional expense if it buys from other states, including an exorbitant transport cost, they said.