Minister: People must wait for 1-2 months for five kg addl rice

Bengaluru, NT Bureau

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has said nothing will happen if there is a delay of one or two months in distributing 10 kg of rice promised by the Congress Party in its election manifesto as the Government of India has refused to sell the required additional quantity of rice to Karnataka.

He told reporters here on Friday that Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa has hinted at supplying pulses equivalent to five kg of rice to BPL cardholders till the State manages to procure the required quantity of rice from either the open market or through other sources.

All these procedures may take one or two months and the delay will not cause any problems. The minister said all the five guarantee schemes announced by the Congress Party are being implemented in a phased manner. Already, the ‘Gruha Shakti’ and free power schemes have been implemented.