BJP's act of sabotaging 'Anna Bhagya' scheme in Karnataka backfires, says Congress

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Congress on Tuesday once again targetted the Centre saying that its attempts to sabotage the Anna Bhagya scheme in Karnataka through unreasonable restrictions on sale of rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) has backfired with  extremely low offtake of the cereal.  

Launching a tirade at the BJP-led Centre, Congress General secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The Modi government tries to be clever but ends up becoming too clever by half. The unreasonable restrictions placed on sale of rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) at Rs 34 per kg has misfired badly with the extremely low offtake of rice."

Ramesh, who is also party's communication in charge added that the surplus food stock should indeed be used in the larger interest of 140 crore people. But between January and May 2023, it was Karnataka alone that accounted for over 95 per cent of FCI sales to states. This was when the BJP government was in power in the state.

"On May 13 election results are out. The BJP loses badly. A Congress government comes in. The FCI stopped providing rice to states through OMSS on June 13. It rescinded its own sale order of June 12 with the sole intention of sabotaging the Congress' Anna Bhagya which is unique to Karnataka.

"Meanwhile, let us not forget the continued sale of rice for ethanol at Rs 20 per kg. The Modi government shouldn’t be shooting from the shoulders of other states. More so it shouldn’t be deploying officers to defend what is essentially a pathetic political decision," the Congress Rajya Sabha MP said.

The Congress has been critical of the BJP government for not allowing the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell rice to Karnataka for its Anna Bhagya Scheme 2.0.

On Monday, the Siddaramaih-led Congress government in the state launched the payment of cash in lieu of the additional 5 kilograms of rice to beneficiaries under the government's 'Anna Bhagya' scheme.

With the launch of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme, the Congress government in the state is fulfilling one more of its five polls 'guarantees' (promises) announced in the run-up to the elections held in May.