CM says Karnataka has more below poverty line families compared to AP and Telangana.
Bengaluru: Keeping in mind the 2018 Assembly polls, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday symbolically launched the revised format of 'Anna Bhagya' under which the rice for each member of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) family has been increased from 5 kg to 7 kg.
Calling it 'Anna Bhagya plus,' the CM launched the revised scheme at Freedom Park-the same venue the programme was launched by him in June, 2013 by offering Rs 1 per kg rice. Mr Siddaramaiah relaunched the scheme by distributing 7 kg rice to beneficiaries in the presence of several ministers.
Addressing the gathering, the CM said the scheme was to ensure that no one slept on an empty stomach and the state was free from hunger. "In my childhood days, eating rice was a luxury. Rice was prepared when someone was sick in our house. On many occasions, I have gone to well-off neighbours to get a bowl of rice. People then struggled to buy rice as it was expensive. This made me launch the scheme on the day I assumed office even before the appointment of new ministers".
Mr Siddaramaiah said one of the legislators criticized this scheme claiming that labourers were now not available as they eat free rice given by the government and go to sleep. That legislator strongly batted for cancellation of this scheme as people were not coming to work at all. "I told him (legislator) that you ate all these years and slept...now it is the turn of these poor people to eat and sleep. Despite strong opposition, I never wanted this scheme to be shelved at all. I am a firm believer in 12th century social reformer Basavanna and other sharanas who had said feeding poor people is like serving god".
The CM said another reason for launching the scheme was that Karnataka has the highest number of BPL families compared to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Over 1.2 crore people in this category struggle for two square meals a day. Taking all these factors into consideration, his government launched the scheme only for the benefit of the poor and was not bothered about criticism or the cost involved in sustaining this flagship programme.
Besides, legislators have been demanding that he should increase the quantity of rice being supplied under this scheme since five kg was not sufficient for big families. Accordingly, this was announced in the recent budget for the year 2017-18.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader, KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao, Bengaluru city development Minister K.J. George and Urban Development Minister R Roshan Baig were present.
