Anna Bhagya Scheme

In August 2024, Karnataka’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister announced plans to distribute pulses, sugar, or cooking oil to BPL cardholders under the Anna Bhagya scheme, moving away from the current cash distribution method.

Currently, the Anna Bhagya scheme provides cash to beneficiaries, but a recent survey indicates that 93% of BPL cardholders prefer receiving pulses, sugar, or cooking oil.
Minister plans to discuss this preference with officials and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to potentially adjust the scheme’s distribution.
The PM Garib Kalyan Yojana provides 5 kg of rice per person to BPL cardholders, and additional rice under Anna Bhagya might be excessive.
The shift to distributing essentials aims to better meet the needs of BPL cardholders as indicated by the survey.
The state government is considering this change in response to beneficiary preferences and to enhance the impact of the scheme.
Further discussions will determine the implementation details and whether the shift will be made effective.