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Anna Bhagya scheme: Substandard rice supplied by millers

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Bangalore: The Anna Bhagya scheme is a flagship for the state govt. But rice meant for distribution under the scheme is rotting in central godowns at Davangere, Koppal, Raichur, Tumkur, Shimoga, Kolar, Bellary, Mysore, Mandya and Kodagu districts forcing officials to fumigate the same. Sources say that the government delayed the distribution of the  68,000 tonnes of substandard rice and this may result in a loss of  Rs 169 crore to the state exchequer.

inside rice sybstandardThe State Food and Civil Supplies Department had procured a total of 1.61 lakh tonnes of rice from millers between November 2013 and February 2014. This was meant for sale at a subsidized price of Re 1 per kilo under the Anna Bhagya scheme.  Of this, 93,000 tonnes were released for families below the poverty line. The remaining stock was held back as it was found to be substandard.

Meanwhile, an independent assessment in July by the Hyderabad-based National Collateral Management Services Limited found that at least 16,000 tonnes of the rice was pest-infested. The assessment confirmed that the stock was substandard. Among other things, it contained 33 to 40 per cent of broken rice against the permissible limit of 25 per cent.

Even though, the government stopped  procuring rice in February following complaints that the millers were supplying  substandard rice, it went ahead and cleared the bills of most millers. Of the total Rs 388 crore worth rice procured in 2013-14, bills to the tune of Rs 343 crore were cleared. Incidentally, the government procured the foodgrain at an enhanced price of Rs 24 per kg as against Rs 21.60 per kg the previous season.

The unscrupulous millers are now demanding the balance of payment too. The food department sent around 700 samples of the rice stock to the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) for testing to ascertain the quality of  the rice supplied but the stock is being withheld from distribution exactly for this reason. However sources say this is not a valid reason. The Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation officials have repeatedly informed  the Food and Civil Supplies Department that the condition of the rice is getting worse and needs to be distributed quickly.

The corporation has suggested that the department either direct the millers to take back the foodgrain and replace it with good quality or take steps to auction it. But the Department has apparently decided to move only after obtaining the test report.

The CFTRI has sought at least five months to complete testing of the samples.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao admitted that the rice was pest-infested. “I know the rice is pest-infested and we are fumigating it. We will sift the rice that can be used and supply it. Broken rice and substandard rice will be returned to the millers,” he said.

The minister said he has convened a meeting of officials on Thursday to take a decision on the distribution of the stock.

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