Karnataka govt still exploring options to get rice for Anna Bhagya

Karnataka is now trying to procure rice for its Anna Bhagya through the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the Kendriya Bhandar, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday.

The government’s move comes in the wake of the union government putting a clamp on the sale of rice by Food Corporation of India (FCI) to states under the Open Market Supply Scheme (OMSS-Domestic).

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The Congress government has promised an additional 5 kg rice to Priority Households (PHHs) under the Anna Bhagya scheme.

While 5 kg are already supplied under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), the government was banking on the availability of rice under OMSSD to buy the additional 5 kg required for the scheme.

The government had approached Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to get rice.

While Telangana and Andhra Pradesh said they did not have adequate stocks to sell to Karnataka, Chhattisgarh said they would supply 1.5 lakh metric tonnes for only one month. Hence, the government is exploring other options, Siddaramaiah said.

If the state were to buy rice from FCI, it would have cost Rs 36.40 per kg (Rs 34 per kg plus transportation cost).

The government will find out the cost at which NCCF and NAFED can sell to Karnataka. It will seek quotations, Siddaramaiah said.

The state will need Rs 840 crore a month to distribute 5 kg rice, adding up to Rs 10,092 crore annually.

Siddaramaiah said the Centre is playing petty politics by refusing to supply, even if rice is available.

As for Ragi and Jowar, the state has enough stocks to provide 2 kg per head for six months. The state can give Ragi for Old Mysuru region and Jowar for Kalyana Karnataka. Even for this, the government has to arrange 3 kg rice additionally, he said.