Rice quota: Central team says Naidu may be pulling a fast one

A Central team has just returned from Andhra Pradesh and reported to the Government that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is asking for more...

A Central team has just returned from Andhra Pradesh and reported to the Government that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is asking for more foodgrain than he can chew. And that the drought isn’t as bad as Naidu makes it out to be. This puts a question mark over the next allotment to Naidu.

Shortly after he criticised the Government on the Gujarat riots, Naidu asked for 10 lakh tonnes of free rice under the food for work programme claiming severe drought.

Much to the chagrin of the Agriculture and Food ministries, he got the PMO to clear the first tranche of 5 lakh tonnes of rice. This even before the Central team could submit its report.

According to the Relief Commissioner in Andhra Pradesh, D C Rosaih: ‘‘The fact that the Centre already cleared the first instalment of 5 lakh tonnes is proof that it agrees that the drought is bad.’’

Story continues below this ad

Speaking to The Indian Express, Food Minister Shanta Kumar said his ministry has not received any instructions on the second instalment of 5 lakh tonnes . ‘‘The file has to be forwarded to us from the PMO via the Agriculture Ministry. We are waiting,’’ he said.

The Central team, led by Joint Secy in the Ministry of Agriculture K S Bhoria, submitted its report to the National Disaster Management Cell which will now decide on whether the second lot is to be released.

‘‘Although I am yet to see the report in detail, the team has found that the situation of drought is not there in all the districts which are claimed by the (Andhra) government,’’ said Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh.

The five-member team visited villagers in four ‘‘worst affected’’ districts out of the 22 declared drought affected, Vijaynagram, Medhak, Prakasam and Rangareddy. They felt that they didn’t have time to assess whether the grain was being diverted elsewhere—a very common allegation by the Opposition in the state.

Story continues below this ad

The Congress, CPI and farmer’s organisations submitted a memorandum to the Central team alleging mismanagement of foodgrain. This memo has also been been attached to the report.

According to the memo, the state gets free grain from the Centre in the name of drought relief and then sells it back to the Centre under the levy scheme. Andhra Pradesh’s track record on picking up its quota of rice from the Centre on payment is revealing:

• During 2001-02, the state picked up only 65% of its rice quota under the BPL (Below Poverty Line) scheme at Rs 5.30 per kg.

• Of its APL (Above Poverty Line) quota, at Rs 7.30 per kg, it picked up a mere 37%.

Story continues below this ad

• But under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, which is a scheme for the poorest of the poor and where rice is available at Rs 3 per kg, the state picked up 103% of its quota.