Latest news with #KarnatakaStatePublicDistributionFoodGrainsTransportContractors'Association
India Today
09-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Karnataka truckers end strike after state orders release of Rs 244 crore dues
The Karnataka government has issued an official order releasing Rs 244.1 crore to lorry association towards pending dues connected with the Anna Bhagya food grain distribution scheme. The amount covers transportation charges for the period between February and May 2025. Following the government's decision, the lorry association has called off its strike and resumed grain transportation under Karnataka's Anna Bhagya Guarantee Scheme had come to a standstill on July 7, with lorry owners halting operations across the state in protest over non-payment of dues by the government. The Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents' Association and the Karnataka State Public Distribution Food Grains Transport Contractors' Association alleged that the state had failed to clear outstanding payments of over Rs 260 crore since Shanmugappa, president of both associations, said the lorry operators had transported nearly 25 lakh tonnes of rice under the scheme from February to June but had not received any payment. On Jun 19, the contractors had issued a 15-day ultimatum, warning of an indefinite strike if the dues were not cleared. They had also demanded that their Earnest Money Deposits be refunded and flagged their financial distress, stating that many owner-drivers were struggling to pay Employee Provident Fund, Employees' State Insurance and taxes. Despite repeated appeals, the associations claimed the government had failed to act, forcing them to stop lorry strike threatened to severely disrupt the Anna Bhagya scheme, one of the Congress party's five flagship guarantees announced ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. The scheme has already faced multiple setbacks. Since July 1, 2023, the government had reduced the monthly rice allocation from 10 kilograms to 5 kilograms after the Union government declined to provide rice under the Open Market Sale response, the state had begun direct cash transfers of Rs 170 per beneficiary, calculated at Rs 34 per kilogram. However, when the Union government later agreed to sell rice at a fixed price until June 2025, Karnataka resumed distributing rice in kind instead of cash. - Ends IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
India Today
19-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
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 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 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 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 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 InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
