BENGALURU: Does the Karnataka government literally have to beg for rice? While Karnataka desperately needs rice for its ambitious Anna Bhagya scheme, it realises that getting the foodgrain will not be as easy as expected.
There are only five rice-surplus states -- Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana and Telangana. Karnataka needs to go to them directly, sources said. But by this time, these states would have put their surplus rice in the market and since it has not been done, it is a big question as to where the Congress government would source the rice from, the sources said. Congressmen, who protested on Friday, asked whether the central government would have released the rice if a BJP government was in power in the state.
Experts said the situation is more complicated than just simple politics. “If we have to buy rice cheaper, then Telangana is the nearest rice-surplus state. But Telangana produces boiled rice, which is consumed in only two or three districts of Karnataka. Karnataka itself produces a fair amount of rice in Raichur and adjoining areas, but it costs a good Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg and may not be available for the public distribution system (PDS), the experts added.
On the central government’s decision not to sell rice to any, Congress working president Saleem Ahmed said, “This shows their step-motherly attitude. Remember, during elections JP Nadda (BJP natonal president) spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s blessings? We will protest against this apathetic attitude in all districts in a few days.’’
Congress MLA Roopkala Shashidhar said, “Policies should be neutral and not favour any party. In all this, the poor will suffer.”
Food Minister KH Muniyappa said, “We are looking at states like Telangana and Chhattisgarh for rice.’’
Central government sources said if they give all the rice to Karnataka, they would be making themselves vulnerable in an election year. “Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are going to the polls. If they too make promises of free rice, where will they get rice from,” they asked.
Former FCI chairman DV Prasad said, “About 38-45 million tonnes of rice that fill up national granaries come from kharif and so far sowing has not started because of the delay in the onset of monsoon.” The country had around 100 million tonnes of rice, but during the Covid years the Union government gave 10 kg of rice instead of 5 kg which reduced the stockpile.