Congress Says ‘Unreasonable Restrictions’ On Sale Of Rice Under OMSS Badly Misconceived

The Congress on Tuesday said the “unwarranted restrictions” imposed on the sale of rice under the open market sale scheme have miserably “failed” and criticized the Center for stopping the sale of the food grain to state governments from its pool. It has been described as a “political decision”. On “sabotaging” the Karnataka government’s ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme.

On June 13, the Center officially stopped the sale of rice and wheat from buffer stocks to state governments under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) due to inflationary pressures and concerns over the monsoon.

The Congress has alleged that the move is aimed at thwarting the Anna Bhagya scheme of the Karnataka government.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet that the Modi government tries to be clever but turns out to be more than half clever. “Unreasonable restrictions have been imposed on the sale of rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS). “Due to extremely low offtake of rice, 34/kg has been badly damaged,” he claimed.

He said the surplus food stock should actually be used in the larger interest of 140 crore people, but between January and May 2023, Karnataka alone accounted for more than 95 per cent of FCI sales to states.

This was when the BJP government was in power in the state, he said.

“Election results will come on May 13. BJP lost badly. Congress government comes. FCI stopped giving rice to states through OMSS on 13th June 2023. It canceled its sale order of June 12 with the sole intention of damaging the Anna Bhagya of Congress, which is unique to Karnataka,” Ramesh alleged.

Meanwhile, we should not forget the continued sale of rice for ethanol. 20 per kg, he said.

“The Modi government should not shoot on the shoulders of other states. Moreover, officers should not be deputed to defend what is basically a pathetic political decision, the Congress general secretary said.

Anna Bhagya Yojana, 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.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday launched cash payment in lieu of additional 5 kg of rice to beneficiaries under the government’s Anna Bhagya scheme.

Facing difficulty in procuring rice in large quantities to implement it, the state government decided to make cash payment to the beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 34 per kg for additional 5 kg of rice under the free rice scheme, which is applies to the member. BPL families and ‘Antodaya’ families.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,