“This is a temporary measure and an alternative remedy till we procure more rice,” said Law Minister HK Patil.
The Congress regime had pledged to provide 10 kg of free rice to low-income families under its Anna Bhagya scheme. The scheme was part of the party’s five tall election promises which catapulted it to power in the assembly polls in May this year.
The government had planned to buy the 2.28 lakh metric tonnes of rice it requires from the FCI, but the Centre asked the corporation to sell rice on the open market instead. The Centre’s order threw a spanner in the state’s plans to cover 12.8 million low-income families consisting of about 44.2 million people under its scheme.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier dismissed the idea of giving beneficiaries a cash equivalent. “Can people cook and eat paper,” he had asked when the BJP suggested the regime transfer money to the people’s accounts.
The CM on Wednesday slammed the BJP leaders of the state, saying they should’ve tried to convince the Centre. “I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and State Food Ministers and requested them to supply rice. NCCF, NAFED, Kendriya Bhandara have all increased the price for rice,” he said. Karnataka had been struggling to source rice ever since. The government has been in touch with a few rice-growing states including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Chhattisgarh and is keen to buy rice at rates quoted earlier by the FCI, at Rs 3,400 per quintal plus Rs 2.60 per kg towards transport. While there was speculation that the new regime might delay the implementation of the program, it was under a lot of pressure to take action. The opposition BJP had been trying to corner the government, with veteran leader BS Yediyurappa saying he would launch a protest on July 4 if the Anna Bhagya scheme launch was delayed.
Siddaramaiah on Tuesday slammed the BJP leader for threatening an agitation against the Congress. “BS Yediyurappa (ex-CM) has no moral right. The BJP made 600 promises during the 2018 election. Did Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai implement them?”
Both parties blame each other for the rice crisis, with the Congress alleging that the Centre’s order to the FCI was given solely to sabotage the scheme. The BJP on the other hand, accused the Congress of backing down from its promise made to the people during the elections. Matters came to a head on June 20, when both parties faced each other in protests across the state.
Former CM Basavaraj Bommai accused the Congress of constantly changing its promises after the government’s announcement. “Earlier they promised 10 kg rice. Later they said they would add to the Centre’s existing 5 kg. And now they are paying Rs 34. Rice costs Rs 60 in the open market,” he said.