22 lakh BPL families may not get cash immediately under Anna Bhagya scheme: Karnataka govt

Over 22 lakh families in Karnataka may not immediately receive assistance under the Anna Bhagya scheme as they do not have bank accounts.

Published on: Jul 10, 2023, 10:28:06 IST

By Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Around 22 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) households may not get benefits under the Karnataka government's Anna Bhagya scheme immediately as they do not have bank accounts, an official statement said.

The Anna Bhagya scheme in Karnataka pledges to provide additional 5 kg of free rice to every member of a BPL household. (ANI Photo) (Arunkumar Rao)

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to launch the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the scheme - which pledges to provide additional 5 kg of free rice to every member of a BPL household - at around 5 pm this evening. The scheme was one of the five main election guarantees made by the Congress party before its massive win in the May 10 assembly election in the southern state.

READ | Direct bank transfer for Anna Bhagya scheme to begin on Monday evening, says Karnataka minister

Of the total 1.28 crore ration cards registered in Karnataka under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, 99 per cent are seeded with Aadhaar numbers, of which 1.06 crore - making up 82 per cent of the pool - are linked with active bank accounts. Cash benefit will be transferred to these card holders, while the government will inform the remaining to open new accounts, the official statement said.

"A total of 1.27 crore ration cards have one member designated as Head of the Households (HoH). Cash will be transferred to the bank accounts of these HoH. Of them 94 per cent are women and five per cent are men," it added.

READ | Karnataka: Siddaramaiah-led govt to give cash instead of rice under Anna Bhagya Scheme

The Siddaramaiah-led leadership in Karnataka decided last week to give cash to the beneficiaries instead of rice after facing a shortage in supply. Cash at the rate of ₹34 per kilo will be credited to the beneficiaries' accounts. Muniyappa assured that the money would be transferred into the beneficiaries' account in 15 days. The scheme is expected to reach 4.41 crore beneficiaries.

(With PTI inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!

Stay updated Bengaluru Weather Live and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.