At not finding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture at a fair price shop in Birkur mandal headquarters village, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. on Friday fumed at Kamareddy Collector Jitesh V. Patil.
The FM appeared annoyed that despite the Centre supplying free rice to the poor under the Prime Minister’s Garib Kalyan Yojana to overcome the effects of COVID-19, the flex boards carrying PM Modi’s picture did not find a place in fair price shops of Telangana. Sitharaman frowned at the Collector that the Centre was within its rights to see the pictures of a great person like PM Modi at shops as it supplied the rice free by ensuring logistics in place, free transport, and storage. The pictures were essential to see that the rice reached the poor.
The Finance Minister was on a visit to Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency since Thursday as part of BJP’s Lok Sabha Pravas Yojana, during which she visited the ration shop at Birkur.
Speaking to the Collector at the shop, she said, “The Central Government has been giving free rice and I have come here to find out if it is really reaching the people. Can you tell me how much the Centre is paying, the contribution of the State Government, and how much you are charging from people before the free supply came about during March-April 2020 when the pandemic started?”
When the Collector mumbled about a higher contribution from the State Government, Sitharaman got annoyed and gave him half an hour to get the details. “Do you want to rethink your answer as an IAS officer of the Telangana cadre? Please find out the correct figure,” she said and when someone from her party wanted to answer, she retorted: “I am sure he knows, let him answer”.
“Whenever our party puts up Mr. Modi’s photo or banner, it is torn or removed. Can you ensure as a District Collector that it does not happen in the future? I will return to this place and check,” she said.
The Minister said that Telangana had received 23,95,272 metric tonnes of foodgrains free of cost from the Centre under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana and there are 1.91 crore beneficiaries.
Earlier, the Finance Minister’s convoy was sought to be obstructed by Youth Congress workers at Kamareddy. The local police had to intervene to separate the groups armed with sticks. After much jostling and slogan-shouting, the groups were dispersed. Sitharaman had breakfast with party worker T. Siva Prasad at Birkur village and lunch with another party worker B. Ramu at Rudrur.
