Karnataka truckers give 15-day deadline over dues, Anna Bhagya delivery in limbo?

The Anna Bhagya scheme, one of the Karnataka Congress' five guarantee schemes announced in the 2023 assembly election manifesto, may face serious disruption starting July 5, with the state's food grain transporters threatening to halt operations over unpaid dues.The Karnataka State Public Distribution Food Grains Transport Contractors' Association has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the state government, demanding the release of Rs 250 crore in pending transportation payments that have been delayed for over four months.advertisement'If they don't pay up, let the officials and the government run the trucks,' warned Karnataka Lorry Owners' Association president GR Shanmugappa, indicating a complete shutdown of food grain movement if demands remain unmet.
The association, which includes over 3,000 to 4,000 owner-cum-drivers, claims its members are under financial stress, struggling to pay Employee Provident Fund (EPF), Employees' State Insurance (ESI), and taxes. In addition to the unpaid dues, the group has also demanded the refund of Earnest Money Deposits (EMDs).The association has accused the government of ignoring repeated appeals and failing to act, forcing them to consider an indefinite strike.This is not the first time the Anna Bhagya scheme has run into challenges. Since July 1, 2023, the state government had been providing only 5 kg of rice instead of the promised 10 kg, after the Union government refused to supply rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme.To compensate, the Congress-led state government began disbursing Rs 170 per beneficiary per month via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), calculated at Rs 34 per kg. However, since February, with the Union government agreeing to sell rice at a fixed price till June, Karnataka decided to resume distributing rice instead of cash.Tune InMust Watch
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