BJP demands immediate supply of PDS rice to poor

PNS | Hyderabad

Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay Kumar demanded that the TS government should immediately supply rice through the Public Distribution System to the poor during Sankranti.

In a letter written to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday, Sanjay said that around than 3.5 crore people in Telangana were forced to starve during Sankranti due to the lack of supply of rice via PDS this month.

He reminded that the Modi government had extended the supply of five kg of rice per head to all ration card holders free of cost throughout the year under the National Food Security Act.

“In Telangana, 55 lakh card holders numbering 1.92 crore people would have to get 13 lakh tonnes of rice costing Rs 4,300 crore from January. This would save Rs 250 crore for the state government. Even if it supplies free rice to another 90 lakh beneficiaries the state will still be left with a surplus revenue of Rs 80 crore,” he said.

Yet, Sanjay said the TS government had not yet released rice to the poor due to its callous attitude. “It is an unpardonable crime to force people to starve during Sankranti,” he said.
He sought to know why the state government had not made arrangements for the supply of free rice till now. During the coronavirus pandemic too, the government had stopped free rice supply under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana as it would fetch a good name for the Centre, he said.

“How far is it justified to deny rice to the poor at a time when ministers and BRS leaders are accusing the Centre of making people starve, citing the Global Hunger Index? It is unfortunate that the state government is seeing politics even in the free rice supply scheme,” Sanjay said.

He also found fault with BRS leaders for criticising the Centre’s decision to convert the rice procured by the FCI into fortified rice to ensure adequate nourishment for students in government hostels and schools.

Sanjay requested the Chief Minister to see that all state government employees and pensioners get their monthly salaries and pensions during sankranti. In many districts, employees and pensioners have not got money till now, he pointed out.

“While they were expecting pending dearness allowance during Sankranti, it is unfortunate that the government has not paid them salaries and pensions till now,” he said.