<p>Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cardholders will soon have the option of redeeming coupons for rice and other foodgrain of their choice at general provision stores, if unhappy with the quality of ration supplies.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In what appears a departure from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s pet scheme ‘Anna Bhagya’ or rice at highly subsidised rates, the department of Food and Civil Supplies has adopted the new method citing huge shortfall in availability of rice and complaints about its poor quality. <br /><br />Speaking to mediapersons in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said that the department would launch a pilot project in three cities - Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru in January 2017. BPL cardholders will be given coupons, which they may redeem at provision stores for foodgrain.<br /><br />The objective of the new exercise is to give the beneficiary the freedom of choice while buying foodgrain, curb pilferage and also give impetus to locally grown foodgrain, claimed Khader.<br /><br />The coupons may be collected from franchise centres. For a five-member family card, the cardholder will have the option of purchasing rations worth anywhere between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000. However, the coupon facility will be optional as the existing system of supplying subsidised foodgrain through ration shops will continue. <br /><br />Now, 5 kg of rice is issued to an individual beneficiary. One kg of rice costs Rs 27. A family also gets 1 kg of sugar (at Rs 20 a kg). In the open market, the prices are much higher. <br /><br />Undoing Anna Bhagya?<br />Khader said the department requires 25 lakh metric tonne of rice to disburse under the Anna Bhagya scheme. However, only 10% of rice is procured from the state farmers, while the rest is imported from other states like Punjab and Haryana. Not only are there lots of complaints about the quality of rice, beneficiaries are also demanding that other grains like jowar be provided. It has been decided to issue coupons instead of giving cash to prevent misuse, he added.<br /><br />Once the purchase is made, the store owner will verify it with the department, after which money will be transferred through the beneficiary’s bank account to the bank account of the store owner.<br /><br />Online facility<br />An online facility for obtaining Above Poverty Line ration cards will also be launched next month. An online applicant who furnishes Aadhaar details will get an APL card within 15 days through Speed Post. A variety of problems associated with issue of ration cards over the last 15 years is sought to be resolved through this method. <br /><br />The online APL card may be printed and used for purchase of foodgrain. The printout, however, will not serve as ID proof. Only the actual card, which will be sent through speed post, may be used as proof of identity.<br />DH News Service<br /></p>
<p>Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cardholders will soon have the option of redeeming coupons for rice and other foodgrain of their choice at general provision stores, if unhappy with the quality of ration supplies.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In what appears a departure from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s pet scheme ‘Anna Bhagya’ or rice at highly subsidised rates, the department of Food and Civil Supplies has adopted the new method citing huge shortfall in availability of rice and complaints about its poor quality. <br /><br />Speaking to mediapersons in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said that the department would launch a pilot project in three cities - Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru in January 2017. BPL cardholders will be given coupons, which they may redeem at provision stores for foodgrain.<br /><br />The objective of the new exercise is to give the beneficiary the freedom of choice while buying foodgrain, curb pilferage and also give impetus to locally grown foodgrain, claimed Khader.<br /><br />The coupons may be collected from franchise centres. For a five-member family card, the cardholder will have the option of purchasing rations worth anywhere between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000. However, the coupon facility will be optional as the existing system of supplying subsidised foodgrain through ration shops will continue. <br /><br />Now, 5 kg of rice is issued to an individual beneficiary. One kg of rice costs Rs 27. A family also gets 1 kg of sugar (at Rs 20 a kg). In the open market, the prices are much higher. <br /><br />Undoing Anna Bhagya?<br />Khader said the department requires 25 lakh metric tonne of rice to disburse under the Anna Bhagya scheme. However, only 10% of rice is procured from the state farmers, while the rest is imported from other states like Punjab and Haryana. Not only are there lots of complaints about the quality of rice, beneficiaries are also demanding that other grains like jowar be provided. It has been decided to issue coupons instead of giving cash to prevent misuse, he added.<br /><br />Once the purchase is made, the store owner will verify it with the department, after which money will be transferred through the beneficiary’s bank account to the bank account of the store owner.<br /><br />Online facility<br />An online facility for obtaining Above Poverty Line ration cards will also be launched next month. An online applicant who furnishes Aadhaar details will get an APL card within 15 days through Speed Post. A variety of problems associated with issue of ration cards over the last 15 years is sought to be resolved through this method. <br /><br />The online APL card may be printed and used for purchase of foodgrain. The printout, however, will not serve as ID proof. Only the actual card, which will be sent through speed post, may be used as proof of identity.<br />DH News Service<br /></p>
