Anna Bhagya has become Cash Bhagya: BJP leader Bommai

Giving cash through Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) for Anna Bhagya beneficiaries serves no purpose. The Rs 170 per head that the state government has promised each beneficiary is half the day’s salary for a daily wager in rural Karnataka, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai lashed out at the Congress-led government on Monday. 

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during the motion of thanks to the Governor’s speech, Bommai attacked the Siddaramaiah-led government for not fulfilling the promise of free rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme and for blaming the Centre for not supplying rice.

“Anna Bhagya has turned into Cash Bhagya. The government had promised rice and is now offering money instead of food grains. No good will come out of this,” he said alleging that the state government had made half-baked attempts in procuring rice.

“The state government is blaming the Centre for not making the rice available. Had the state government informed the Centre earlier? From what I know, Punjab, Telangana, Chhattisgarh were ready to give rice. Instead of working towards procurement, the government is now offering money,” he said. 

He also warned the government of rice going making its way into the black market. The government must make sure that it doesn’t encourage misuse of the food grains distributed under the Public Distribution System (PDS), he said. He demanded that the government must fulfil the promise of giving 10 kg rice for each beneficiary. 

Attacking the government on all its five guarantees, Bommai said the Congress government in the state had no blueprint, direction and even no future. With each of the guarantees, the government has gone back on its word and tweaked the parameters during implementation, he alleged.

Moreover, going by the government’s own admission in the budget, the five guarantees will cost Rs 52,000 crore annually. This is a recurring expense which will only increase in the coming years. This will be a huge burden to the state exchequer, he pointed out. 

‘Transfer scam’

The state government is running a transfer scam ever since it came to power, Bommai alleged. “There are people circling Vidhana Soudha like never before for transfer-related favours. A cash-for-transfer scam going on,” he said.

Bommai said that since the Congress had accused the previous BJP government of “40% commission”, all corruption allegations between 2013 and 2023 must be thoroughly investigated.