Setback for Karnataka as Telangana says it doesn't have rice

In another setback to the Congress government, Telangana has said it does not have enough rice in stock to give to Karnataka for the Anna Bhagya scheme.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said this after speaking with his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao. “He said they don’t have rice,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

Karnataka has also approached Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh for rice. “They said they can give 1.5 lakh metric tonnes. But the rate is high. Transport cost is high,” Siddaramaiah said.

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Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma has been asked to get in touch with Andhra Pradesh.

“I’ve convened a meeting in the evening. Let’s see,” Siddaramaiah said.

Karnataka requires up to 4.45 lakh metric tonnes to distribute 10 kg rice per person to all Priority Households (PHH). Of this, Karnataka will get 2.17 lakh metric tonnes from the union government under the National Food Security Act. The state must procure 2.28 lakh metric tonnes from its own resources to provide an additional 5 kg rice.

Earlier this week, Siddaramaiah accused the Modi administration of “stalling” the Anna Bhagya scheme. On June 12, Siddaramaiah said the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had approved Karnataka’s request to procure 2.28 lakh metric tonnes of rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS). But on June 13, the union ministry wrote to the FCI saying OMSS has been “discontinued” to state governments.

Siddaramaiah has accused the union BJP government of “vendetta”, a charge the saffron party has rejected.