From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, May 23: All Below Poverty Line (BPL) Ration card holders in Karnataka will get Tur Dal through the ration card shops under the Public Distribution System scheme.

The State Government decided to distribute Tur Dal following bumper harvest of in 12 major crop growing districts of Karnataka.

This measure will help the farmers and also the people, explained Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra, while talking to reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

A meeting of the State Cabinet sub-committee chaired by Jayachandra decided to write to the Centre seeking its financial support to procure the commodity as per the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 5050 per quintal. 

Karnataka is seeking Centre’s financial support for procurement of 42 lakh quintals of Tur Dal as an incentive to the farmers.

The proposal on distribution of Tur Dal to ration card holders under the PDS scheme would be placed before the next cabinet. 

Jayachandra said card holders will get one kg of Tur Dal per family and the move will benefit 1.10 crore BPL families in the State.

As per the scheme, each BPL card holder will get a kilogram of Tur Dal. The subsidy of Rs 30 per kg would be given which would cost the state Rs 1100 crore a year, he said.

Unlike jowar, which is consumed in Southern parts of Karnataka, Tur Dal is eaten across the State.  Moreover, the rice which was being distributed under the Anna Bhagya scheme was not very nutrient and the addition of Tur Dal would further supplement the diet, explained.