In Bengaluru this week, Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi fired back at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the CM accused the central government of giving “false information” on ethanol distribution.
The crux of the dispute
Siddaramaiah said the Centre had misled the state over how much ethanol Karnataka supplied to oil‑marketing companies (OMCs). Joshi responded that the CM was “spouting baseless claims” and that Karnataka actually shipped 13.98 crore litres of ethanol in the 2024‑25 supply year.
The minister pointed out a key timing issue: Siddaramaiah’s parliamentary reply cited data only up to June 30, 2025, while the ethanol supply period runs from November to October. “By hiding that fact he is misleading the public,” Joshi said.
Sugarcane farmers in the spotlight
Joshi’s counter‑attack also targeted the CM’s record on sugarcane farmers. He recalled that from 2004 to 2014, farmers often received payments late and at low Fair and Remunerative Prices (FRP). The minister noted that the central government has since lifted the FRP from ₹210 to ₹355 per quintal for the 2025‑26 crop season and increased sugar procurement from ₹57,104 crore in 2013‑14 to ₹1,02,687 crore in 2024‑25.
He said ethanol blending was introduced to balance excess sugar production and has grown 26 times in supply to OMCs since 2013‑14. The Union government also raised the annual export allowance for sugar from 10 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to 15 LMT to avoid price distortions.
Political fallout
Joshi accused Siddaramaiah of escaping responsibility, pointing fingers at the Centre instead of addressing farmers’ concerns. “Your government is building castles in the air and pushing people onto the streets with false guarantees,” he warned.
The exchange underscores a sharper clash between Karnataka and the central government over ethanol policies and sugarcane farmer welfare—issues that continue to dominate public debate across the state.
Source: ianslive
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