Udupi to get 2.32 cr kg rice under Anna Bhagya scheme

The Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake said that around 2.32 crore kilograms of rice is offered to the BPL cardholders at one rupee per kilogram in the district under Anna Bhagya Yojane.

Speaking after inaugurating the State government’s newly initiated “Anna Bhagya Yojane” at Veerabhadhra Sabhabavan, the minister said the State government’s most ambitious project is virtually turning into reality. The benefits of food security assured to all below poverty line reaches even to the last man in the society. There should not be hunger and no one should die out of hunger. Around 87 lakh families in the state are benefited under the programme, he added.

He said no official should set back from implementing any project that brings smile on the faces of poor man, he said quoting Mahatma Gandhi. The minister said attempts will be made to appeal government on extending the provisions of the programme to APL card holders.

Besides, measures will be taken to eradicate the problems faced by BPL families in procuring the cards. The eligible beneficiaries who are wrongly given APL cards can also avail the benefits of the scheme. The rice is distributed through ration shops. He added that the UPA government’s Food Security Bill has lessened the burden on State government. It was estimated that state government should bear around Rs 7000 crores. However, the amount of burden on state government at present is around Rs 1000 crores following the food security assured by the Central government, he added.

Deputy Commissioner Dr M T Reju said that the project has brought in revolutionary changes especially in the Food and Civil Supplies department.  More than one lakh BPL families will be benefited under the programme. The department should now incorporate the computerization and large scale systematisation of food grains procurement, storage and transportation in a streamlined process. Besides, transparency should be assured.

Vigilance committee is set up to go into the leakages. He said the process of timely ration card distribution and renewal process is underway, he added.

ZP President Upendra Nayak urged that the BPL cardholders should be given priority in the renewal process. It is a continuous process.

He urged government to initiate measures to clear the confusions where many APL cardholders have received BPL cards.

The ineligibles should be dropped. There are many middle class families. The programme of offering 10 kilogram of rice for Rs 10 per kilogram should be continued. He said all Gram Panchayats in the district are given additional computers to fasten the process of issuing new ration cards and the renewal of the existing cards, he said.

The launching ceremony of Annabhagya Yojane was held in Byndoor, Kundapur, Kaup, Karkala and Udupi simultaneously.

Susheela Puthran, a beneficiary, told Deccan Herald that the government scheme would be immensely helpful to BPL families. “Earlier, we would get around 12 kilograms of rice at Rs 10 per kg. The rice is of good quality,” she added. On the other hand, Susheela Poojary and Philomena feel that the provision should also be offered to the APL cardholders who are in the middle class group. Atleast government should provide rice at Rs 5 per kilogram, they added.