Dehradun: Taking strong exception to
inauguration of a foodgrain scheme for the weaker sections by
BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Congress on Friday assailed the BJP
government in Uttarakhand for "saffronising" the welfare
programme for which food items is provided by the Centre.
"The BJP government in Uttrakhand is saffronising the
foodgrains scheme for which food items is provided by the
Central government by getting it inaugurated by BJP chief
Nitin Gadkari," Union Minister of State for Agriculture and
Food Processing Harish Rawat said in a statement.
The UPA government at the centre is providing
subsidised foodgrains for distribution among BPL and Antodya
families for weaker sections, he said.
Rawat, member of Lok Sabha from Hardwar in Uttrakhand,
asked Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyak Nishank to tell
masses the "truth" about the programme.
He also sought to know from him whether the scheme
launched today was different from the proposed Food Security
Act of the Union government.
On the invitation of the state government, Gadkari
today launched "Atal Khaddyanna Yojana" which envisages
providing wheat at the rate of Rs 2 per kg while rice at Rs. 3
per kg.
The scheme would benefit around 30 lakh people in
Uttarakhand and has a potential to emerge as a "model" scheme
for other states, he said speaking on the occasion.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 12, 2011, 00:18