Karnataka MP alleges diversion of free PMGKAY rice

MP Kota Srinivas Poojary alleged that free rice under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) is being diverted and sold in Karnataka. He said eligible BPL and Antyodaya Anna Yojana cardholders in the state are meant to get five kg a month, and about four crore people are covered.

Poojary claimed the Centre supplies around two lakh quintals of rice each month, releases ₹834 crore for the scheme and sanctions an average of around ₹10,000 crore a year for the food scheme in Karnataka. He questioned the State Government's earlier announcement of 10 kg, including five kg from the State, saying information on the extra allocation was unclear.

Separately, department figures reported in November say officials seized more than 22.58 lakh kg of rice and 204 vehicles between August 1 and October 31, registered 292 FIRs and arrested 250 people. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad said surveillance was under way to stop diversion.