Karnataka polls: Congress announces 3rd guarantee, to provide 10 kg free rice per head in BPL family

BENGALURU: With Assembly polls round the corner, the Congress in Karnataka on Friday announced its third "guarantee" of providing free 10 kg of rice per month to each BPL (Below Poverty Line) family member, under 'Anna Bhagya' scheme, to fulfil its commitment to eliminate hunger from the state.

The Congress has already announced two guarantees from the party if voted to power, which are 200 units of free electricity to every house under the "Gruha Jyoti Yojana", and Rs 2,000 to every women-led household under the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme.

State Congress President D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah announced the third guarantee of the party at a joint press conference here.

"We are happy to announce the Anna Bhagya guarantee of providing free 10 kg of rice per month to each member of BPL card holders in order to eliminate hunger from Karnataka," Shivakumar told reporters here.

Noting that 'Anna Bhagya Yojana' was an important scheme launched by the previous Congress party government led by Siddaramaiah to provide free food grains under the Food Security Act, which eventually benefited millions of families in the state, he said, "When the Congress government was in power, 7 kg used to be given, but the BJP government reduced the rations to 5 kg." But this time the Congress government will give free 10 kg rice. This is our third guarantee," he added.

Siddaramaiah said as soon as the Congress party gets majority in the next election and comes to power, we will give free 10 kg of rice to every member of the poor family holding BPL card, in the state, under the Anna Bhagya Yojana.

"We have walked the talk earlier and in future too, we will stay committed to our word," he said.

The former CM further said, already Rs 4,000 to 5,000 crore is being spent on the free rice scheme, and increasing it to 10 kg may cost another Rs 4,000 to 5,000 crore.