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One more kg of free rice for poor in state

Last Updated 15 August 2016, 21:08 IST
The state government plans to distribute an additional one kilogram of free rice and one kilogram of tur dal at concessional rates to ‘below poverty line’ (BPL) cardholders.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made this announcement while addressing a gathering during the 70th Independence Day celebration at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Grounds in Bengaluru on Monday.

Presently, the government is providing five kg of food grains per person free of cost under the Anna Bhagya scheme. This includes three kg of rice and two kg of wheat/ ragi/jowar.

Karnataka is also bringing in a protein component under the public distribution system scheme for the first time by introducing tur dal. Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader told Deccan Herald that tur dal would be sold at a subsidised rate of Rs 30 a kg.

Additional burden
Khader said supplying free rice would cost the exchequer around Rs 1,450 crore annually. With the introduction of the coupon system and Aadhaar seeding, the government will save nearly 40,000 metric tonnes of rice per month. Karnataka will request the Centre to sell the surplus rice back to the state at a subsidised rate of Rs 8 or Rs 8.50 per kg. If the Centre agrees to the proposal, the expenditure will then come down to around Rs 240 crore annually, he said.

By subsidising tur dal, the government will incur an expenditure of Rs 360 crore annually. The decision to distribute more rice and sell subsidised tur dal follows demands made by BPL families, he said.
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(Published 15 August 2016, 21:08 IST)

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