Hyderabad 3rd of September : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement expressing her anger with District Collectors in Telangana on the issue of not getting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures at a reasonable price has led to a dispute with the government of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and slamming her for “unruly behavior”.In the visit to Birkur village in Kamareddy district on Friday the Union minister expressed his anger at the District Collector Jitesh V.Patil as the Prime Minister’s flexis were not displayed in the shop.
She stated that Centre is providing free rice to the needy in the Garib Kalyan Yojana but Prime Minister Modi’s flexis could not get a spot in the shops at fair prices of Telangana.
Sitharaman argued that the Centre was entitled to view the flexis of someone like Modi in shops, as it provided the rice at no cost by making sure that logistical support in place, with free transport and storage.
The Union Minister has been in the Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency since September 1 as part of the BJP’s Lok Sabha Pravas Yojana.
“The Central Government has been providing free rice and I’m here to see whether it’s actually reaching the people.Do you know what the Centre is paying, as well as the contributions of the State Government and how much you are charging the people prior to when the free supply was introduced in March-April 2020 when the pandemic was first spotted?” she asked the Collector in front of BJP leaders workers, villagers and leaders.
When the Collector was unable to provide a response on the structure of the state as well as Central government the union minister became frustrated and allowed him to wait for half an hour to find out the information.”Do you think about rethinking your response in the capacity of you are an IAS officer of Telangana cadre? Please determine the correct number,” she said.
Sitharaman claimed that , when the price of market per kilogram was Rs.32-35 in the pre-pandemic period Sitharaman claimed that the Centre had been paying Rs 28-30, the state government the equivalent of Rs.2 or 3, and the beneficiary was only paid Re 1.
“The Modi government is now offering free rice, which includes transportation, storage and logistics.The Prime Minister’s posters aren’t displayed anywhere, when they ought to be all over Telangana,” she said.
Not stopping there, she informed her IAS official that every time Modi’s images or banners are displayed they are torn down or taken down.”Can you as a District Collector this does not occur in the future? I’ll return to this location and verify,” she said.
She declared that Telangana had received 23,952,272 metric tonnes of foodgrains free of cost from the Centre under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana.There are 1.91 crore recipients.
The Central minister’s actions sparked an outrage from the ruling party’s leaders.
TRS working president K.T.Rama said he was disgusted by the “unruly behavior”.
“These political rants on the streets will only make the hardworking All India Services officers,” he said.
Rama Rao complimented Jitesh Patil for his exemplary conduct.
State Finance Minister T.Harish Rao said Sitharaman didn’t have the authority to instruct the Collector to display the photographs and the flexis of the Prime Minister.
Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar reminded Sitharaman Telangana is home to 90.34 lakh card holders with ration cards.The Modi government provides rice and that’s just 5 kg to 59 percent of those who have cards.
The state minister highlighted that the state’s government spends Rs.372 crore each month to supply rice at a cost of just Re 1 a kilo.
Telangana government’s director of digital media Konatham Dileep tweeted that he was stunned by the unprofessional conduct of Sitharaman.
“She is lecturing the District Collector about Union Government funds Vs State Government funds in the middle of a shop called a ration (PDS) shop is a first in Indian the history of India,” he wrote
“Right to Food” is an essential right as per Article 21 of Constitution and is enforceable by Law in accordance with Article 32.providing food grains to the people of this country is a Constitutional and Parliamentary obligation , not a favor that the Union Govt is bestowing upon its citizens.”
He said that the right to eat was in place prior to Modi and would continue to be there after Modi.
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