Reducing rice provided under Anna Bhagya scheme will be anti-poor: Siddaramaiah

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday alleged that Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is planning to reduce the quantity of rice provided to the BPL families under the Anna Bhagya scheme in Karnataka.

"I have information that there is discussion in the government that they will reduce Anna Bhagya free rice scheme and divert funds to Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme," Siddaramaiah said.

"The state announced Rs 4,000 and the Centre will give Rs 6,000 for the scheme. But it shouldn't be at the cost of food given to poor people. This is an anti-poor decision," he added.

The statements by Siddaramaiah have come a couple of weeks after Yediyurappa announced a review of the Anna Bhagya scheme. The incumbent CM had reportedly claimed that there were many illegal beneficiaries of the scheme in the state.

Siddaramaiah said that if his party's government came back to power in the state he would have announced an increase in the amount of rice rather than cutting down on it.

"If Congress came back to power, I wanted to give 10 kgs of rice. Now it is just 7kg and the government wants to reduce even this 7kg. The government should find the funds elsewhere not through cutting rice," he said.

Warning Yediyurappa led BJP government he said, "The poor won't tolerate this move. Congress and others will also protest against this. We will get on to the streets and fight the decision, we will fight in the Assembly too.