Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Monday promised to increase the milk subsidy from current ₹5 to ₹7 per litre if his party was voted to power in Karnataka Assembly elections on May 10.

Addressing an election rally at Arsikere in Hassan district, Rahul Gandhi said that if the Congress is voted to power in the state, it will increase the milk subsidy by ₹2 per litre.

The Karnataka government gives ₹5 per litre subsidy to milk producers of the state for supplying milk to the Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers Union (KMF), which owns India’s second largest dairy brand Nandini after Amul.

The Congress leader also announced a Krishi Nidhi scheme for farmers in the state, under which he said ₹1.5 lakh crore would be allocated for farmers in the next five years if the party is voted to power in the state. 

The Congress has been attacking BJP in Karnataka for not safegaurding domestic milk brand Nandini in the state. The Congress leaders are accusing the ruling party that they want to ‘kill’ Nandini by allowing the entry of Amul in the state. They also expressed fears that a scarcity of Nandini products would be created to make way for Amul to take over.

Last month, Amul, owned by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, tweeted that a wave of freshness was coming to Bengaluru from Kengeri to Whitefield – from the west end of the city to the east – with the hashtag “LaunchAlert.”

Amul had said that it will sell its milk and curd in Bengaluru, triggering widespread protests led by the Congress and JDS. Congress leader Siddaramaih claimed that it was a ploy by the ruling BJP to subsume Nandini into Amul.

Karnataka is slated to go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.

Source : Mint 02nd may 2023