Karnataka seeks 2L tonne rice from TS for PDS

Hyderabad/ Bengaluru: In a series of developments over the issue of free distribution of rice for the Anna Bhagya scheme of the government, the Karnataka government will initiate talks from friendly states like Telangana and Chhattisgarh. They have good stock of rice according to an expression aired by Chief Minister S Siddaramiah on Saturday during a meeting with the officials of the ministry.

He observed that the Central government has ample stock of rice but it has failed to understand that rice is for public distribution. But he alleged that the Central government is shirking its responsibility towards meeting this demand. The State government had already placed a demand for 2.8 lakh metric tons of rice with the Centralgovernment but it has not got any response so far.

The State government is making efforts for the success of Annabhagya Yojana. CM Siddaramaiah has planned to give 10 kg of rice to the poor for free and has discussed with CMs of different states for rice.

The sources in the department told Hans India that Siddaramaiah has held talks with Telangana CM KCR and CM Siddaramaiah has demanded 2 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Telangana and it is likely that Telangana CM might give in to the request from Siddaramiah.

A team of officials from the food and civil supplies has gone to Telangana, and a similar team will also leave for Chhattisgarh on Sunday. Telangana is known as the rice bowl of India and might be able to deliver 2 lakh metric tons of rice to Karnataka, while Chhattisgarh has already promised to send 50,000 metric tons of rice to the state. On the other hand, DyCM DK Shivakumar has made a master plan for the success of the Anna Bhagya Yojana. It is said that DK has devised a mega strategy to shock the central government and has planned to put the state BJP MPs in a dilemma.

DK Shivakumar has written to all MPs to put pressure on the Centre. In his letter Shivakumar has asked the MPs from Karnataka as well as from other parts of the country to pressure the central government to release rice to Karnataka. In Ramnagar, MP DK Suresh expressed his anger against the central government for not providing rice.

The central government has ample stock of rice. Rice is for public distribution. But the central government is shirking its responsibility. The Center is doing injustice to the poor people in Karnataka. MP DK Suresh has demanded that no politics should be played in this.