Amid FCI row, lessons for K'taka from other states on rice scheme

Karnataka could take a cue from other states on providing rice to people under its promised Anna Bhagya scheme beyond what is mandated under the national food security law, officials in these states said.

- Chetan Chauhan

NEW DELHI: The new Congress government in Karnataka has promised to provide 10kg of rice a month to each member of families living below the poverty line, in addition to the 5kg a month mandated by the National Food Security Act.

States such as Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana provide additional rice to the poor from their own resources without seeking additional grains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the country’s food grain stockist, the officials said. Tamil Nadu provides additional rice but procures it from the FCI.

The Karnataka government began scouting for rice from states and other agencies after FCI discontinued the sale of rice and wheat from the central pool under the open market sale scheme (OMSS) to state governments soon after the southern state announced its Anna Bhagya scheme’s launch from July 1.

“The sale of wheat and rice under the OMSS (domestic) for state governments is discontinued,” the FCI said, adding that sale of rice under the OMSS will continue for northeastern and hilly states, and those facing law and order situations and natural calamities at the existing rate of ₹3,400 per quintal.

Because of the FCI order, the scheme will now be launched from August 1, Karnataka food minister KH Muniyappa said on Thursday.

Except Karnataka, no other state has raised a hue and cry over the FCI order.

Officials in these states said they procure paddy directly from farmers to sustain their grain delivery schemes after providing FCI the grains as per its quota for central procurement from each state to maintain the national food buffer stock.

Odisha, for instance, provides 5kg per person free rice to eight lakh beneficiaries under the state food security scheme.