With just about 10 days left for the scheduled launch of the Anna Bhagya scheme of the Congress government, the search for the additional quantum of rice continued on Tuesday, raising questions on the scheme’s timely launch.
The Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa will be leaving to Delhi to convince the Centre to release the required quantity of rice to the State.
In touch with many States
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the State officials were still discussing with Andhra Pradesh for the supply of rice after Telengana had intimated its inability to supply. Officials were also in touch with West Bengal.
He also said that if the rice is purchased from Chhattisgarh, the price of rice including transportation costs, will be high compared to FCI price which will work out to be ₹36.60 per kg. Karnataka needs 2.28 lakh metric tonnes of rice to launch the scheme from July 1, and is scouting for rice across the country after the FCI intimated its inability to provide the required quantum.
‘Not sent proposal to Punjab’
Meanwhile, according to sources in Aam Admi Party (AAP) unit in Karnataka, though its government in Punjab has offered to provide the required quantum of rice to Karnataka, the State had not sent its proposal based on which the discussion could be initiated. “Till late afternoon, Punjab government had not received the proposal,” an AAP functionary said.
‘Is this federalism?’
Mr. Siddaramaiah explained that the State government had also called for quotations from NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly speaks about cooperative federalism. Is this cooperative federalism? The central government has conveniently forgotten that the National Food Security Act was implemented by the then UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh.” The Chief Minister reiterated that the additional rice will be provided at any cost.
