Dealers meet in Bengaluru and resolve to urge the Government to roll back the decision

Mysore/Mysuru: Karnataka State Government Fair Price Shop Dealers’ Association (KSGFPSDA) has urged the Government to revoke the decision of giving cash instead of five kg additional rice to the beneficiaries under Anna Bhagya scheme, for now.

The Members of the Association, who attended the meeting convened at a private hotel in Bengaluru yesterday, resolved to exert pressure on the Government to roll back its decision. Following the meeting, a memorandum was also submitted to the Commissioner of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department.

Ravi,  President of KSGFPSDA, Mysuru City, who had attended the meeting said that “Anna Bhagya Yojane under which 10 kg of rice will be given to both Antyodaya and BPL card holders has been implemented. With the non-availability of required quantity of rice, the Government has decided to  give the amount of five kg rice along with five kg rice being supplied now. It will mete out injustice to fair price shop owners. In this backdrop a State-level meeting was conducted and key matters were discussed.”

If cash is given against rice, the fair price shop dealers will be deprived of the Commission. Though it is announced to pay by cash as a temporary measure, if the arrangement continues it will cause a big loss to the dealers. The previous BJP-led State Government and the Central Government had also mooted a similar idea, but dropped when convinced about the pros and cons. Though some of the States had adopted a similar measure of cash for rice, it had inconvenienced not just dealers, but also the beneficiaries and farmers, forcing to return to earlier system of providing essential commodities.

 By giving cash for rice, the families of over 22,000 dealers in the State will be pushed to streets. The dealers are apprehensive over the possibilities of continuing with ‘cash for rice’ system citing non-availability of rice in the future too, that will render them jobless, added Ravi.

The card holders must be distributed rice only. If there is no adequate quantity of rice to meet the present demand, ragi, jowar, sugar, wheat and other essential items should be given as alternate measure. It was also discussed in the meeting to exert pressure through district units of the Association in the State to exert pressure on respective District In-charge Ministers.

A memorandum has been already submitted to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. In the coming days, it has been decided to meet Chief Minister Siddharamaiah too in this regard. Our next decision hinges on the stand of the Government, added Ravi President of KSGFPSDA, Mysuru City.

President of KSGFPSDA K. Krishnappa, Secretary Channakeshava Gowda conducted the meeting that was attended by thousands of office-bearers from  all the district and taluk-levels.