'Poor constitute 23.6 per cent of total population in Karnataka'
Bengaluru, May 2 (DHNS): The state government is providing free rice to four crore people of the nearly six crore population under the Anna Bhagya scheme. The reason? Compared to the other southern states, the highest poverty is in Karnataka.
This was how Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday defended his pet scheme Anna Bhagya while launching the modified food grain programme under the public distribution scheme for the priority families or BPL families and to those who fall under the Anna Antyodaya category. A programme was organised in the Vidhana Soudha premises to symbolically distribute free rice and wheat to three select women.
From May 1, people holding BPL cards inclusive of Anna Antyodaya beneficiaries, would get five kgs of food grain and subsidised sugar, palm oil and iodized salt free.
While in north Karnataka, 3 kgs of rice and two kgs of wheat would be provided, in the South 4 kgs of rice and 1 kg of wheat would be given free. One kg of salt would cost Rs 2, while a litre of palm oil will be sold at Rs 25. There are nearly 1.08 crore families identified as poor falling under BPL.
Siddaramaiah said maximum number of poor families are in Karnataka compared to other states in the south. While in Andhra Pradesh, the poor constitute 21 per cent of the total population, in Tamil Nadu it is 17 per cent, Kerala 12 per cent and in Karnataka it is 23.6 per cent.
“I had seen many families in my village where the poor never had the opportunity to have rice. At least 85 pc of the families never had pleasure of eating rice, while only the rich class used to have rice. This led to malnutrition among children. So, I wanted to ensure that no poor goes without food. The government is committed to make the State free of hunger and malnutrition,” he said.
Right to live
He said the Constitution has guaranteed right to live for everyone. Keeping this in view, Anna Bhagya scheme has been launched. It would reach four crore people in the State.
The chief minister further defending the freebie he has rolled out said many were skeptical regarding the implementation of Anna Bhagya because it required funds. A legislator had said that the government would make people lazy through the scheme. “For centuries, the poor have been toiling hard. Let them relax now,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said from June 1, families coming under the Above Poverty Line would get subsidised ration. A kg of rice would cost Rs 15 and wheat Rs 10 a kg. A family with one person would get a maximum of 3 kg rice and 2 kg wheat and a family with more than one member would get a maximum of 5 kg rice and an equal quantum of wheat.
Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao said earlier the government could purchase 1.40 lakh quintals of ragi by paying Rs 1,800 a quintal. Now, the price has been revised to Rs 2,000 and procurement has gone up to 14.40 lakh quintals. The government has not been able to purchase white jowar as per the target. Anna Bhagya has helped farmers, he asserted.
Receiving fresh applications for BPL/APL cards began on May 1.
Total families covered under Anna Bhagya - 1.08 crore
Bogus ration cards cancelled – 8.75 lakh Procurement price by govt for ragi – Rs 2,000/quintal
Procurement price for white jowar – Rs 2,300/quintal
Procurement price for paddy – Rs 1,450/quintal
Budget allocation for Anna Bhagya scheme in 2014-15 - Rs 4,360 crore
Money spent - Rs 2,605 crore
Money saved to the exchequer - Rs 1,760 crore.
Naidu a dreamer, AP scores over Karnataka: S M Krishna
Former CM celebrates 83rd birthday
Bengaluru, May 2: Former union minister S M Krishna on Friday described Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as a ‘wonderful dreamer’ and an equally competent man.Krishna, the former chief minister of Karnataka, said this while interacting with the media at a high tea he hosted in Bengaluru on Friday, on his 83rd birthday.
Without drawing any parallel between Naidu and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Krishna said: “On Thursday I had visited Tirupati. Naidu is trying to make Amaravathi the capital. When you see the pace of development, investors are bound to look towards Andhra Pradesh. If investors have to come to Karnataka, basic infrastructure facilities should improve. Industries which should have come here have already drifted to Andhra Pradesh. When you see infrastructure here, it is but natural for investors to prefer Andhra Pradesh.”
Replying to a host of questions, Krishna said the Anna Bhagya, Kshreera Bhagya, Arogya Bhagya and other schemes of the State are continuation of ‘Garibi Hatao’ programme of late prime minister Indira Gandhi. Schemes meant for the welfare of poor would take many years to yield results. “There was opposition for the mid-day meal scheme when I launched it. But now the scheme is followed across the country. Same is the case with Yeshaswini scheme launched by me,” he pointed out.
Asked whether he would like to get back to active politics in the State, Krishna said only time would reflect that. “I am observing the style of functioning of the present State government. Each CM has his own style of working and it is not correct to make comparisons. When the government is on the threshold of completing two years, it is essential to conduct internal and public evaluation,” he suggested.
Rahul ready
Replying to a question on Rahul Gandhi, Krishna said his experience in politics was equivalent to the age of Rahul. He felt Rahul was capable of taking on the party’s mantle.
When a reporter pointed out that the UPA 2 did not represent India at the global level, the former external affairs minister asked him: “Then how India got a membership (as a non-permanent member of the security council) in the UN?”
He also said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has not been able to effectively manage her portfolio. She had visited a couple of countries which did not yield the desired results. “We do not know whether she is functioning as minister. This is the reason why Prime Minister Modi is going on frequent foreign tours,” he said.
Replying to questions as to how he was spending time, he said he was writing a book on his 52 years of public life. About 50 pc of the work has been completed and it would be published both in Kannada and English. At present he was reading books on John F Kennedy and Churchill, he added.