Plastic rice makes its way into CM's pet project 'Anna Bhagya' scheme?

On a single day, complaints of plastic rice came in from four districts Rice distributed through the PDS scheme for BPL families allegedly said to be plastic Minister UT Khader has warned of stringent action

Has plastic rice made its way to homes of poor through Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's  ambitious project, Anna Bhagya scheme? Reports suggest that the people of four districts - on June 8 - found that the rice they brought through the government's Public Distribution System (PDS) was found to be "plastic". Complaints flooded the media offices from these districts, on a single day.

Residents of Sriramanagara in Gangavathi of Koppal district were in for shock when they found the rice - that was allegedly purchased at a government fair price shop - was smelling plastic. Their worst fears came to be true when the rice got burnt while cooking. Residents even made videos of the "plastic rice" balls, reports Kannada Prabha.

Similar incidents have been reported from Arasikere in Hassan district. Residents of Mini Vidhana Soudha layout too complained of "plastic rice" allegedly being distributed by a fair price shop. Many have complained of diarrohea and vomitting after consuming the rice. The residents here have lodged a complaint with the local food inspector, it is said. Parvathamma of Vijayapura in Ramanagara taluk is now clueless after purchasing Rs 25 kg of rice.

Meanwhile, the Food and Civil Supplies Minister UT Khader has warned stringent action if the fair price shops found distributing "plastic rice". So far, the rice samples have been sent for laboratory for testing in Mysuru.

'Anna Bhagya' is the chief minister's ambitious programme to feed the families under the Below Poverty Line. Under the scheme, the government provides 5 kg of rice to per person in the family, free of cost. The government also provides oil, pulses and pulses.

Now, even if the reports of "plastic rice" making their way into homes of BPL families are remotely true, one cannot comprehend the havoc it could cause on those families. Instead of mere warning, health and food and civil supplies department officials must address the issue on a war front, lest the situation may go out of control.