Unconditional Cash Transfers for Rice in Karnataka
A Study of Beneficiary Responses and Challenges Under the Anna Bhagya Scheme
In July 2023, Karnataka pioneered Direct Benefit Transfer for Foodgrains in India by deciding to make an unconditional cash transfer of Rs.34/kg/person/month under its Anna Bhagya Scheme (ABS). As per NSSO (2022-23), an average Indian consumedapproximately 9 kg/month of cereals. Indian government under its NFSA program supplied more than half of this i.e., 5kg for free to identified beneficiaries. Karnataka government wanted to support the beneficiaries by making the remainder half free too.
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