‘Anna Bhagya’ Scheme launch on July 1 at Mysuru cancelled

Bengaluru: With the Congress Government’s pre-poll ‘Anna Bhagya’ Scheme aimed at providing 10 kg of rice every month to each member of BPL families hitting a roadblock, with the Centre saying no to supply of additional quantities of the grain, the Government is learnt to have cancelled the launch of the programme at Mysuru on July 1.

Anticipating enough stocks for distribution of rice under the Scheme, the State Government had earlier set the Statewide roll out of the Scheme with much pomp  in Mysuru, the home district of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, on July 1.

But as the Government’s plans has received a temporary setback with the Centre’s refusal, the Government is looking at alternatives for procurement of 2.28 lakh metric tons of rice from various sources at competitive rates for distribution of 10 kg rice under the Scheme. The Government is looking at States like Chhattisgarh and Punjab, Central agencies such as NCCF (National Co-operative Consumers Federation), NAFED etc., for procurement of rice which may take some time. Hence the Government has cancelled the July 1 launch of Scheme and  a further date will be announced after all the due process for rice procurement  is finished, according to sources.