BENGALURU: The state government is planning to distribute 5 kg of rice instead of money under the Anna Bhagya scheme to beneficiaries in taluks that will be declared drought-hit, said Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa.
He told reporters on Monday that they will start the distribution of rice once the government announces the list of drought-hit taluks. Currently, the government releases money to the accounts of beneficiaries instead of the 5-kg additional rice announced in the Congress manifesto as they do not have sufficient rice.
“In the next ten days, the state government will take a decision on distributing 10 kg of rice to each beneficiary. We are in talks with Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. We are hoping to get rice at a reasonable rate,” he said.
On direct beneficiary transfer of money under Anna Bhagya, Muniyappa said the government completed this facility for 97 lakh cardholders in July. “As many as 3.45 crore people were given Rs 566 crore in July. In August, we released Rs 606 crore to 3.69 crore people. There are 21 lakh people who do not have bank accounts. We are making accounts for 14 lakh people,” he said.