Mangaluru, Jun 11: Dismissing the allegation that ‘plastic rice’ being supplied through public distribution system in Karnataka as baseless, minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs U T Khader urged the people not to worry about malicious rumours.
“People need not panic about 'baseless reports' of arrival of ‘plastic rice’ and ‘plastic eggs’ as there is no confirmation for the same,” Mr Khader told media persons in the city yesterday.
"We have neither received complaints nor found any instances of plastic rice being sold through fair price shops. All reports are based on rumours and there is no base for it. Hence, people need not panic about such reports," he added.
The minister made a veiled attack on opposition parties charging that the reports of plastic rice was a part of an attempt to destroy the popular 'Anna Bhagya' scheme of the Congress government. "Anna Bhagya scheme is being implemented by the government very successfully in the state. The allegation of plastic rice is an attempt to bring disrepute to the popular pro-poor scheme.
There is no scope for adulteration in the rice supplied through fair price shops in the state as we procure the same through Food Corporation of India (FCI). We need an average of 2.77 lakh metric tonnes of rice per month, but the state has no capacity to produce such a huge quantity of rice. Hence, rice from Chhattisgarh, Punjab and other states are being procured through FCI," Khader said.
On reports of plastic eggs being sold in the market, Khader said that the health department will conduct inquiry and submit a report on it. He said that it is practically impossible to sell plastic rice and earn profit out it.
"The price of rice is about Rs 30 - 40 per kg, whereas, the price of plastic is more than Rs 100 per kg. Hence, there is no base on allegations that plastic rice is being sold in the market. Food items supplied through fair price shops in the state are of good quality and standard," he asserted.
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