The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Rice scheme comes as a big relief

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Friday, Aug 01, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rice scheme comes as a big relief

HYDERABAD: Spiralling prices of essential commodities have had a devastating effect on the common man throwing the monthly budget haywire but the prices have shattered people in the low income groups so much that they are feared to enter the markets.

But the Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme for people below the poverty line and the recent addition of supplying palmolien oil at Rs. 45 a kg to the list has certainly gladdened the sections benefiting from it. The 20 kg rice supplied to all white card-holders is providing them a huge relief.

‘Increase quantity’

“We are saving at least Rs. 200 on rice alone,” says G. Mallamma, a beneficiary in Uppal, who earlier used to buy rice spending Rs. 10 to 14 per kg. And for her that money makes a big difference, as it supplements for buying other essential commodities like pulses.

Similar opinion is expressed by Bhagya, a resident of Zamistanpur near Ramnagar.

She was worried with the dwindling income of her husband, who is an auto driver, due to the growing petrol prices, but the rice scheme has come as a bit relief for her family. She has three school-going daughters to support.

“Rising prices have taken a toll on our life and the rice scheme relieved us to a certain extent,” she says. She welcomed the addition of palmolien oil at subsidised rate, but the supply of just one kg per family was far too little.

State criticised

For these families, quality of rice doesn’t seem to be a big issue as of now. “We got decent quality rice in the first month, but we have to wait and see in the coming months,” says Ravinder, who drives a car for a living.

But at the same time, these little measures are certainly not improving the image of the government, as they feel the government is not extending any favour to them.

“It is the responsibility of the government to keep the prices in control and when they fail, such measures to soothe the poor are necessary,” argues Sekhar of Chiluka Nagar in Uppal.

They argue that life doesn’t run just with rice and oil. Right from milk prices to medicines and travel to school fees everything has become so costly today. “And the government has utterly failed here.”

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