State govt to ensure uninterrupted supply of food grains, milk to people: CM

Bengaluru: Coming to the aid of citizens facing hardship due to the lockdown, the Karnataka government on Wednesday took a slew of measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of food grains, vegetables and milk.

These decisions include protecting the interests of farmers and milk producers.

“We have decided to supply milk free of cost to the poor till April 14 and the district administrations have been entrusted to make the arrangements for it,” Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said at a press briefing after chairing a meeting of the group of ministers.

He conceded that the farmers have been caught in a dilemma due to lockdown as they were not able to sell, harvest or transport their produces.

The chief minister said earlier the farmers were able to transport the produces to the other states but now it has stopped due to which the prices have crashed.

It has been decided, said Yediyurappa, that the HOPCOMS will sell these agriculture products.

Besides this, the HOPCOMS will also sell eggs, said Yediyurappa adding that there were rumours that eggs, tomatoes and poultry products were not good in these times.

“These are all rumours and no one should lend their ear to them,” he said.

The chief minister also said agriculture produces will be transported through trains.

He also appealed to the people not to go for panic buying as there is no shortage of essential goods in the state.

“There is no need for hoarding. People should not heed to the rumours about the shortage of food grains and products,” the chief minister said.

Yediyurappa directed the officials to make sure that the crops are harvested without any interruption.

In this regard it was decided to start the rice mills and dal mills.

Speaking about the milk production, the chief minister said earlier the milk production was 69 lakh litres a day, which has reduced to 42 lakh litres a day.

He further the unsold milk would be procured by the government and distributed to the poor.

“Milk will be distributed in the slums. We will distribute it to the poor people free of cost till April 14. We have directed the deputy commissioners in the districts to ensure the distribution of milk in their respective districts free of cost to the poor people,” Yediyurappa said.

The chief minister said the government was in touch with the Railways with regard to sending perishable goods to other states.