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Last Update: June 21, 2023, 23:29 IST
Congress General Secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh. (File photo/ANI)
Ramesh alleged, “But the FCI continues to sell rice at Rs 2,000 per quintal for ethanol production and blending with petrol. Food security should be paramount at all times.”
Accusing the Modi government of being “anti-poor”, the Congress on Wednesday said the Center has diverted foodgrains from the central pool under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to state governments to “block” Karnataka government’s Anna Bhagya scheme. discontinued sales. ,
The Anna Bhagya scheme, one of the five pre-poll guarantees of the Congress, promises 10 kg of rice for every BPL (below poverty line) family in the state.
In a tweet, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh accused the Modi government of indulging in “vendetta politics”.
“The most recent chronology of Modi’s anti-poor and vendetta politics: May 13, 2023: PM and BJP widely rejected by the people of Karnataka. June 2, 2023: The Chief Minister of Karnataka announced the implementation of Anna Bhagya Guarantee from July 1, under which 10 kg of free food grains would be given to poor families. June 13, 2023: Central government issues circular banning sale of rice from FCI to states under open market sale scheme. This has been done to spoil Anna Bhagya,” he said.
He said the Karnataka government was ready to pay Rs 3,400 per quintal to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), but that window was closed. “But FCI continues to sell rice at Rs 2,000 per quintal for ethanol production and blending with petrol. Food safety should be paramount at all times,” alleged Ramesh.
A recent order issued by FCI states, “Sale of wheat and rice under OMSS (Domestic) to State Governments is discontinued.” However, the sale of rice under OMSS will continue for northeastern states, hill states and states facing the law. and order situations and natural calamities at the existing rate of Rs 3,400 per quintal, it said. FCI may liquidate rice to private parties under OMSS from the central pool stock as per the requirement to moderate the market prices.
The Congress has been claiming that this move of the central government will hurt the most marginalized sections of the society. Five kg of rice is already being provided to each member of the BPL family in Karnataka. Now it is being increased to 10 kg by the new government.
The Punjab government has come forward to supply rice required for the Anna Bhagya scheme of Karnataka.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,
