Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday slammed Kamareddy District Collector Jitesh Patil in Telangana when he failed to answer to the Centre about the State’s share of rice supplied through fair price shops.
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday slammed Kamareddy District Collector Jitesh Patil in Telangana over the State’s share of rice supplied through fair price shops, demanding that PM Modi’s poster be put on ration shops immediately.
- In response, Telangana Minister T Harish Rao slammed her remarks saying that it is unbecoming of her to demand the state government to keep the Prime Minister’s picture in a ration shop. KTR also hits back.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday slammed Kamareddy District Collector Jitesh Patil in Telangana when he failed to answer to the Centre about the State’s share of rice supplied through fair price shops, as per to news agencies.
Nirmala Sitharaman had been attending various programs in Zaheerabad Parliamentary Constituency as part of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha Pravas Yojana. She demanded to know from Jitesh Patil why Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture was missing from the shop in Birkur.
“The Centre gives a lion’s share of the rice being sold at subsidized rates to the beneficiaries in the State at the price of Rs 1 per kg. The same quality of rice is being sold at ₹35 in the open market. How much is the state government bearing?” she wanted to know from the Collector.
“The Central government has been supplying rice in shops by bearing all costs, including logistics and storage. I am trying to understand whether free rice was reaching the people or not,” she added.
In response to her questions, Telangana Minister Minister of Medical and Health of Telangana T Harish Rao slammed her remarks and said that it is unbecoming of a Union Minister to demand the state government to keep the Prime Minister’s picture in a ration shop.
He said that the Centre supplies only 10 kg of rice per month at ₹3 per kg to around 50% of the cardholders under NFSA (National Food Security Act), while to the rest of the 50% people, the Telangana government supplies to them at its own cost.
“This is ridiculous. She was asking if all the rice being given free of cost was supplied by the Centre. She is talking in such a way that is degrading to the stature of the Prime Minister of India,” he hit back.
The Finance Minister responded that the Centre bears nearly 30 Rs, while the State gives 1 Rs and 1 Rs is collected from the beneficiaries. She added that from March to April 2020, the Centre has been providing rice at Rs 30 to Rs 35 free of cost without the state government or the beneficiaries contributing anything.
She told him to come up with an answer in the next 30 minutes as the official could not answer her question. “Our people will come and put up the PM’s banner here. As the district administrator, you must ensure that it is neither removed nor torn. And if it is, I will come here again,” she warned.
Earlier, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s office had tweeted that, “Under NFSA, more than 80% of the cost of foodgrains is borne by the Centre. How is there any objection to the poster/banner of PM Modi being displayed at ration shops?”
Meanwhile, Telangana Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development of Telangana K T Rama Rao has expressed shock over Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rebuking a District Collector for not being able to provide her receipts on rice supplied through the fair price shops.Â
“I am appalled by the unruly conduct shown by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today with the District Magistrate of Kamareddy. These political histrionics will only demoralise hardworking AIS officers. My compliments to Collector Jitesh V Patil, IAS on his dignified conduct,” Rao tweeted.
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