Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the introduction of Anna Bhagya and Ksheera Bhagya schemes has not only helped reduce school dropout rate but also increased school enrolments in the State. Besides, the schemes have also addressed the issue of malnutrition, he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah was speaking at the 102nd birth anniversary celebrations of the late Sri Shivaratri Rajendra Swami of Suttur Mutt, said to be the pioneer of the mid-day meal schemes at his educational institutions decades ago. “His work was a source of inspiration for the government to introduce Anna Bhagya and schemes such as distribution of 7 kg rice free of cost to BPL families,” he said.
Though the State is reeling under drought, there has not been a single case of death owing to starvation and this is mainly because of Anna Bhagya, he said. “Nearly 1.08 crore BPL cardholders, accounting to about 4 crore people, are benefiting from the scheme,” the CM said, who also claimed that distress migration from rural to urban areas had reduced.
Praising the contribution of the late seer for his role in disseminating education, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Sri Rajendra Swami was always concerned about social inequities in society besides backwardness, and strongly believed in education as a panacea for such ills. As a result, there are more than 3,000 educational institutions of the JSS Mutt which are functioning across the State and the country, he said. Earlier, he laid the foundation stone for a 11-foot statue of the late seer to be installed at a cost of ₹3 crore in Mysuru. Sri Shivaratri Deshikendra Swami, the present seer, Sri Nirmalananda Swami of Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt, elected representatives, and hundreds of the devotees of Suttur Mutt, were present.