Karnataka BPL Card Holders To Get Cash Instead Of 5 Kg Additional Rice

Unable to get the required quantity of rice to implement the Anna Bhagya scheme, the Karnataka government has decided to pay Rs 34 per kg to the beneficiaries.

The money, will be transferred through DBT, starting from July 1. The move is seen as a temporary alternative till enough rice stock is raised through a tender to be floated shortly.

"The FCI (Food Corporation of India) has a standard rate of Rs 34 per kg rice. We tried to get rice but no institution came forward to supply us the required amount of rice (to give additionally)," Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa told reporters.

"Since the date for launching Anna Bhagya has arrived (July 1) and we had given word, the cabinet arrived at a decision that till the time the rice is supplied, we will give money at the rate of Rs 34 per kg, which is the FCI rate, to the (BPL) ration card holders," he said.

If there is one person in one card then the person will get Rs 170 a month against five kg additional rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme, the Minister explained.

Two persons in the ration card will be entitled for Rs 340 and if there are five members then they would get Rs 850 a month, he added.

Muniyappa said the government has made arrangements to directly deposit the amount into the beneficiaries' accounts.

"This will come into effect from July 1 itself. This is one of the important guarantees promised by our party. We had taken this decision in the first cabinet meeting after coming to power," the Minister noted.