BENGALURU: Since Congress could not procure enough rice to implement the 'Anna Bhagya' scheme, its election promise in Karnataka, the Siddaramaiah government has decided to pay in cash instead. Under the scheme, BPL Antyodaya cardholders should be given five kg of rice each. Instead, they will be paid Rs 34 per kg of rice. Karnataka Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa said that under this, a card with five members will get Rs 850 per month. The money will be delivered through the bank account.

It was announced that the Anna Bhagya project would start from July 1, but it was decided to pay in money instead as the Karnataka government could not procure the required rice. The reason for the crisis was that the Food Corporation of India, under the central government, refused to sell rice to Karnataka. Under the National Food Security Act, each ration card member currently gets five kg of rice each. The plan was to provide five kg additional apart from this.