IANS/Bangalore

The ruling Congress government in Karnataka yesterday began distributing 30kg of rice at Re1 a kg for the below poverty line (BPL) families in the state, fulfilling one of its promises made in the party manifesto.
Launching the ambitious scheme which was put off twice since June, Chief Minister Siddaramiah distributed three rice bags of 30kg each to three beneficiaries, including two women, at a public function at Freedom Park in the city centre, while his cabinet colleagues doled out an equal quantity to other beneficiaries in 30 districts.
Named the ‘Anna Bhagya Yojane’, the flagship rice scheme is intended to benefit 10mn families, including 8.7mn holders under the BPL category and 1.1mn card holders under the centrally-sponsored Antyodaya Anna Yojane (AAY) scheme across the state.
“The scheme is aimed at eliminating hunger and malnutrition to ensure social justice. As promised to the people during the recent state legislative assembly election, we are committed to serving the needy as the state has the highest number of poor people in southern India,” Siddaramaiah said.
The subsidised scheme, which will cost the exchequer a whopping Rs42bn every year, requires 2.78 lakh tonnes of rice every month for supplying through the state-run fair price shops under the public distribution system (PDS).
To kick-start the scheme, which Siddaramaiah announced hours after taking oath on May 13, the state government has bought about 28,000 tonnes of rice from Chhattisgarh at Rs22.90per kg for this month, as the state food and civil supplies department has 2.87 lakh tonnes of buffer stock in its warehouses.