Opposition voices against Andhra govt's 'cash to PDS rice' scheme

Hyderabad: After the Andhra Pradesh government's proposal to deliver cash instead of rice through PDS (public distribution system) to beneficiaries, the Opposition accused the state government of harming the food security of many, The Indian Express reported.

Opposition parties allege that the state government is forsaking its responsibility toward the poor. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N Lokesh Naidu said that the poor were being deprived of subsidised rations. PDS is not just subsidised rice but food security for the poor, he said.

BJP said that the government's move would affect the poor, adding that the state government always intimidated the poor to roll out their proposals. AP Rythu Sangam said that rice in open markets costs very high. Therefore the government's fresh move will impose a substantial financial burden on the poor. It said that once the scheme is implemented, the state government might stop buying from farmers, and farmers will have to sell it to rice millers, but for low prices.

However, Civil Supplies Minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao refuted the allegations and said that the government's move, claimed to be suggested by the Centre, will allow beneficiaries to buy the food grains they prefer. Further, beneficiaries could choose cash or PDS rice, and there is an option for them to change their choice at a later stage. No ration card is going to be removed because of this scheme, minister Rao said.

It was on Wednesday, minister Rao announced that beneficiaries could choose PDS or a direct cash transfer scheme, which the government is working on. The scheme is to implement in five municipalities as a pilot and will increase to more areas once the rice's price is fixed, the minister informed. Rao reasoned that the government decided to implement the scheme after it had noticed that some beneficiaries were selling the PDS rice in the open market, which ended up with millers, and they sell it for high prices. Also, some beneficiaries have stopped taking PDS rice, citing health issues.