Javadekar’s F1 rice sting evokes Cong-BJD backlash

BHUBANESWAR:THE ruling BJD and opposition Congress have strongly reacted to the statement of Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar that rice at `1 per kg provided to below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries in Odisha should be described as ‘Modi rice’ as Centre contributes `27 per kg while the State provides only `2.

Referring to the Union Minister’s statement, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and senior Congress leader Narasingh Mishra said it is neither ‘Modi rice’ nor ‘Naveen rice’ as the rice is made available as part of the mechanism to ensure food security to the people. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was passed in Parliament during UPA-II regime when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister and as per the Act, the Centre is providing rice at `3 per kg while the State Government contributes `2 per kg, Mishra said and added that neither the State Government nor Modi Government at the Centre should try to take credit for this.

Describing Javadekar’s statement as unfortunate, BJD spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Pratap Keshari Deb said after the NFSA came into force, the Centre is bound to provide subsidised rice and it is highly inappropriate to call it ‘Modi rice’ scheme. Under the federal set-up, the Modi Government is doing what it is supposed to do, and it is not extending any special favour to Odisha, he said and added that Odisha Government launched the subsidised rice scheme at `2 per kg in 2008.

The NFSA was passed by Parliament in 2013 and implemented from May, 2014, Deb said and added that the BJP should not try to take credit for scheme which is being implemented as per law. “Poor people are getting rice at `1 per kg as per law of land and not for any mercy shown by the Prime Minister or the BJP,” he said.