Nirmala Sitharaman pulls up Collector in Telangana for not replying on Centre, state share in PDS rice

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. File Pic

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday pulled up Collector of Kamareddy district Jitesh Patil when he could not provide her an answer to what was the Centre and the State's share of the rice supplied through fair price shops.

Sitharaman who was attending various programmes in Zaheerabad Parliamentary Constituency as part of BJP's 'Lok Sabha PravasYojana', asked Jitesh Patil as to why the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was missing at the shop in Birkur. She said the Centre bears a lion's share in the subsidised rice which is being sold to beneficiaries in the State at the rate of Re 1 kg.

"The rice which is sold at Rs 35 in the open market was being distributed to people at Re 1 here. How much is the State government bearing?" she asked the Collector.

She said the Centre has been supplying the rice in shops by bearing all the costs, including logistics and storage, and was trying to get an answer whether free rice was reaching the people or not.

Also Read: Sitharaman rubbishes allegations of Centre favouring Ambani, Adani

Condemning her remark, Telangana Health Minister T Harish Rao said it was unbecoming of a Union Minister asking to keep the Prime Minister's picture in a ration shop.

According to him, the Centre supplies 10 kg of rice per month at Rs 3 per kg to only 50 to 55 per cent of the cardholders under NFSA (National Food Security Act) and for the rest 45-50 per cent, Telangana government supplies at its own cost.

"This is ridiculous. She is talking in such a way that it degrades the stature of the Prime Minister. She was talking as if all the rice (which is given free of cost) was being supplied by them (Centre)," Rao slammed.

The State government spends Rs 3610 crore every year on free rice scheme.

Sitharaman said the Centre bears nearly Rs 30, the State gives Rs 4 while Re 1 is collected from the beneficiaries.

She said since March-April 2020, the Centre has been providing rice priced at Rs 30-Rs 35 free of cost without the State government and the beneficiaries having to contribute anything.

When the official could not answer the question, the Union Minister asked him to come up with an answer in the next 30 minutes.

"You think about it and within half-an-hour again before my address to the media (come up with an answer). So that I can tell them that even if the Collector could not answer my question immediately,... he struggled and got the information," she rebuked.

She alleged that when a request was earlier made to put up Modi's pictures also at the fair price shops in Telangana, it was not allowed.The BJP workers who came forward to put up the pictures were also not allowed.

"I am telling you today. Our people will come and put up the PM's banner here. You will, as the district administrator, ensure that it shall not be removed. That it shall not be torn," she told the Collector.

"If a banner is not there, I will come to this place again," she said.

Under the Centre's Garib Kalyan Yojana, the entire cost of 5 kg of foodgrains given free is being borne by the central government, the Union Minister said.

"Under NFSA, more than 80% of cost of foodgrains is borne by the Centre. Is there any objection to poster/banner of PM Modi being displayed at ration shops? Smt @nsitharaman," her office tweeted.

Earlier, some Congress workers tried to protest when the Finance Minister was on her way to Banswada. Police intervened and dispersed the group.

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