Supply millets under Anna Bhagya, govt told

A State government-sponsored study of Anna Bhagya scheme (rice at Re 1 per kg) has revealed that the government’s flagship scheme may prove detrimental to the nutrition level of below poverty line (BPL) families in the State.

Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement, a non-governmental organisation, has in its final report on the scheme said the food consumption pattern of BPL households had been changing fast and was dominated by the use of rice.This has been the trend even among households whose staple food is millets such as ragi and jowar. But rice alone does not provide people with their daily minimum energy requirement, it said.


“Consumption of rice alone does not contribute to eradication of malnutrition prevalent among BPL families. Thus, it is argued that the scheme can prove detrimental to the nutrition level of BPL families,” the report, submitted to Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday, stated.

The NGO has recommended to the government to seriously think about inclusion of ragi and jowar under the public distribution system in order to combat malnourishment. “We believe that a reduction in the amount of rice and a supplement of approximately 2 to 3 kg of pulses would make for a balanced diet for households,” it said.
Eradicating hunger

However, the report said the scheme had been effective and beneficial in eradicating hunger among the poor. 

Speaking to reporters, Rao said the department had drawn up a proposal to supply certain quantity of millets, pulses, cooking oil and iodine salt under the Anna Bhagya scheme. If approved, the supply of rice will be reduced proportionately. It has been proposed to use the remaining quantity of rice for supply to the above poverty line ration card holders, he said.

He said the department had saved about Rs 1,300 crore meant for food subsidy in the current financial year by weeding out bogus ration cards and rationalising the procurement process.

Of the Rs 4,360 crore allotted for food subsidy in the budget, the department has spent only Rs 3,060 crore. About 8.74 lakh bogus ration cards have been cancelled, saving about Rs 500 crore of government money, he said.