Karnataka Government to Supply Full 10 kg Free Rice Under Anna Bhagya; Cash Allowance Discontinued from February

Bengaluru, Feb 19 (NationPress) Karnataka Minister for Food, K.H. Muniyappa, declared on Wednesday that the state government will commence supplying an additional 5 kg of free rice this month, fulfilling the promise made under the pre-poll guarantee.

“Starting this month, beneficiaries will receive the complete 10 kgs of rice. The central government has consented to provide the extra supply. We require 2.29 lakh metric tonnes of rice on a monthly basis, leading to an annual need of 27.48 lakh metric tonnes,” stated Minister Muniyappa.

As a result of this decision, the Karnataka government will discontinue the monthly cash allowance of Rs 170 per person for 5 kg of rice under the BPL scheme beginning this month, since beneficiaries were previously receiving cash instead of rice until November.

“We will maintain the money transfers through DBT until January,” he mentioned.

During a press briefing at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Minister Muniyappa noted that despite sufficient rice stocks, the Centre had declined to sell it to the state, which compelled the Congress-led government to provide monthly cash allowances instead of rice.

“However, with Union Minister Joshi now assuring the supply of rice to Karnataka, the beneficiaries of the Anna Bhagya free rice scheme will receive 10 kgs of rice as pledged in the manifesto, starting this month,” Minister Muniyappa added.

This state initiative followed Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Pralhad Joshi's comments on February 17, asserting that although the Centre was offering rice to Karnataka at a minimum price of Rs 22.50 per kg, which would save the state Rs 2,280 crore annually, the state government had been unwilling to accept it.

The Anna Bhagya free rice scheme was first initiated in 2013.

“We have upheld our commitment. The central government initially set the price of one kg of rice at Rs 28, but it is now being provided at Rs 22.50,” Minister Muniyappa remarked.

In a prior response to media reports indicating that the people of Karnataka were struggling to obtain 10 kg of free rice and were only receiving 5 kg, Joshi stated on Monday that the state government had turned down a Rs 10 discount from the Centre.

The Karnataka government currently procures rice at Rs 34 per kg. Nonetheless, despite the Central government offering a reduced price of Rs 22.50 per kilo — a Rs 10 discount — the state has declined to purchase it, Joshi highlighted.

The Minister further underscored that if the government procured rice at this rate, it would save Rs 2,280 crore annually. He accused the CM Siddaramaiah-led government of intentionally overlooking this opportunity.