Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised to speak on Thursday with Union Minister of Commerce and Food Piyush Goyal on the Karnataka government’s demand that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) should sell rice to the State for its Anna Bhagya scheme, which provides additional 5 kg of rice for each member of BPL families.
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According to a release from the CMO, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Mr. Shah in the national capital and “convinced” him that the FCI’s policy of not selling rice to States for their schemes was hitting the poor hard. The State government is seeking rice for raising the quantum of free rice to BPL families from 5 kg to 10 kg, as promised in the Congress manifesto ahead of elections.
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Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters after meeting President Droupadi Murmu, which he said was a courtesy visit, the Chief Minister hinted that there may be a slight delay in implementing the scheme as the Centre played “dirty politics” in denying the required quantum of rice to the State.
