Bengaluru, Jan 28 (UNI) Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday said that if the PDS beneficiary do not wish to purchase grains at government shops at subsided rates, the Centre would plan to transfer the food subsidy to bank accounts of the beneficiaries directly.
Speaking to reporters here after a meeting of the department, Mr Paswan said in case of Karnataka, there were 4.33 crore PDS beneficiaries out of 6.11 crore population and the central government was purchasing food grains at Rs 30 and supplying to Karnataka government at the price of Rs 3 to benefit the poor and other PDS card holders.
‘’But many of these families are not availing PDS supplies. The Center is ready to arrange for Direct Bank Transfer of food subsidies to those families, which are not turning up at the government ration shops. But this scheme can be implemented if the Karnataka government showed interest to my proposal,’’ he said.