Odisha govt keeps 10 kg of BPL rice per family per month: Cong

"Odisha government gives only 25 kg to each BPL family instead of 35 kg though the Centre is providing 18.39 lakh tonnes of subsidised rice which is more than the required quantity," Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said.

Quoting Odisha's Food and Supplies Minister, Singh said 12.64 lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families in the state are provided BPL rice at 35 kg each per month. "In other words 5,30,880 tonne rice is given to AAY families per annum out of annual central allocation of 18.30 tonnes," he said.

The government should explain where this remaining 12,99,120 tonne rice was going, he said, adding this rice could accommodate 43,30,400 families.

The total quantity of 18.30 lakh tonne rice given by Centre will cover 55,94,400 families, he said.

The state government provides BPL rice to 54,96,000 families -- 5,41,000 APL, 36,91,000 BPL and 12,64,000 AAY families, when 55,94,400 families could be covered by the rice allocated by the Centre, Singh said adding 98,400 families remained to be covered.

Stating that Centre's decision to pay subsidy through direct cash transfer to beneficiaries' accounts would bring transparency, the Congress leader claimed Odisha government was opposing it for fear of being exposed of its allowing thousands of fake BPL cards in circulation.

If state government is transparent, let it hand over to the CBI the whole issue of distribution of BPL rice at Rs 2 a kg, Singh said demanding immediate steps to give 35 kg BPL rice per month to BPL and APL families.