Are Amma Canteens being run with rice smuggled out of Karnataka?

 

BJP MP and former minister Shobha Karandlaje has alleged that Congress workers were diverting rice meant for the Anna Bhagya scheme to other states, including to Tamil Nadu for the famous Amma canteens.

 

Anna Bhagya scheme is a Karnataka government initiative to supply food grains free of cost to priority households under Anthyodaya Anna Yojana and Below Poverty Line families across the state, Karandlage alleges that this rice was being smuggled to neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu, Goa and Maharashtra.

 

According to The Hindu report, addressing the Raitha Chaitanya Yatre of her party at Hebbur on Thursday, Karandlaje alleged that rice meant for distribution under the scheme is being used to make idlis in Amma canteens in Tamil Nadu. "Amma Unavagam" or Amma canteen is a food subsidization program run by the Tamil Nadu government. 

 

On August 25 Deccan Chronicle quoted Karandlaje as saying, "The rice under Anna Bhagya Scheme is being diverted to Tamil Nadu and nearby states by middlemen. If we stand at the inter-state border, we will realise how many trucks carrying Anna Bhagya rice move out of Karnataka. The state government is silent despite this issue being brought to its notice.” 

 

However, some days before that, Deccan Herald reported that Karandlaje had said that state government had implemented ambitious schemes like Anna Bhagya, but failed to offer rice to the poor people as promised.