Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake said on Saturday that the government would take steps to provide boiled rice under the Anna Bhagya scheme in Udupi district shortly.
He was speaking at the ‘Jana Mana’, an interactive session with beneficiaries of various government schemes, organised by the district administration here.
Earlier, Roopesh, a farmer from Kalya village, said that people in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts do not eat raw rice. They use boiled rice for their meals. Raw rice is used only while preparing idli and dosa. So the government should supply boiled rice to people under the Anna Bhagya scheme.
Mr. Sorake said that the matter had been considered earlier by the government and boiled rice from Andhra Pradesh was being supplied to fair price shops.
But people did not like the taste of the boiled rice from Andhra Pradesh. “Hence, efforts are being made to provide boiled rice produced in the State,” he added.
Another farmer suggested that boiled rice, which was procured from the farmers in the district by Paddy Procurement Centres, should be distributed under the Anna Bhagya scheme in the district. This would benefit both the farmers and the beneficiaries, he added. To this, Mr. Sorake said that the suggestion would be considered.
Achuta Adiga, a farmer, said that farmers were no longer using oxen for ploughing as in earlier times. Instead now, they use mechanised tillers that work on diesel. Hence, the government should provide subsidised diesel to farmers as was being given to fishermen to operate their boats, he added. In response to the suggestion, Mr. Sorake said that he would take up the matter with Minister of Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda.
Kerosene lamps
Some farmers said that a minimum of two litres of kerosene should be provided for every ration cardholder in the villages. People in the villages still have to depend on kerosene lamps when there is no power supply. But as per government guidelines, kerosene is not being provided to those card holders who have LPG cylinders. This guideline should be relaxed, they added. During the interactive session, Kajil, a transgender, said that the district administration had given title deeds to three transgenders in the district, and such a thing happened for the first time in the State, and same should be replicated in other districts also, added Kajil.
“We should be treated with respect and not discriminated against. We want jobs so that we can become self-reliant. Deputy Commissioner R. Vishal has agreed to consider our demand for jobs,” Kajil added.
‘Though boiled rice sourced from Andhra Pradesh was supplied, people did not like it. So, efforts are now being made to supply that which is produced in the State’
