Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's high profile most ambitious Annapoorna yojana has since been launched in the State - by BJP stalwart Venkayya Nayudu at Bhopal and another high profile Chief Minister Gujarat's Narendra Modi at Indore on 26th April. Bhopal and Indore launch is only symbolic and the scheme is being launched in the districts all over the State from 27th April onwards. These launching ceremonies too will not be less high-profile since Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje; Uttarakhand Chief Minister B.C.Khanduri; Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr.Raman Singh and such other VIPs are associated with the formal launching of this scheme.

The Annapoorna yojana is very simple and straight which envisages at providing wheat at Rs.3/- and rice at Rs.4.50 per kg to the extent of 20 Kg each of these food grains in a month to below poverty line(BPL) families. In fact the Chief Minister has subsidized the cost of wheat and rice by Rs.2/- which was being supplied by the Centre at Rs. 5/- and 6.50 per Kg. respectively for distribution to BPL families under the Public Distribution System(PDS). Though the centre has been allotting these food grains to the State government for distribution to 42 lacs 25 thousand BPL families , the State claims that there are in reality 62 lacs 50 thousand such BPL families and the centre's allotment of wheat and rice is thus short of the difference between these figures.

The Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has reportedly sent an SOS to the Prime Minister requesting him for an increase in the allotment both to continue the Annapoorna yojana as well as ensure implementation of Supreme Court's directive to provide 35 Kg of food grains per month to all the BPL families.

Even as this ambitious scheme is being formally launched in continuum at various district headquarters by different party stalwarts, office bearers and celebrities , it is not sans controversies and adverse observations. At least a week before the formal launch of the scheme, it was challenged by a NGO Rights to Food Campaign who even threatened to sue the Chief Minister under contempt of court proceedings. In the same spirit the NGO also wished well for the scheme as long as it provided cheap food grains to the BPL families. Abdul Jabbar of SADPRAYAS observes that after 20 Kg supply of food grains on subsidized price under the Annapoorna yojana, if BPL families were constrained to purchase their additional requirement of food grains from open market, the scheme will only end up as another farce and one more election eve populist measure. Though it seems to be a political statement, the CPI(M) claims that the poor will be deprived of two square meals a day under the scheme without of course supporting the statement by any substantial data. The usual arguments and counter arguments by the main ruling and opposition parties are on political lines without any real concern about the BPL families. Even otherwise also the whole scheme is so much politicized that no non-BJP stalwart or functionary has been involved anywhere in the whole State-wide launching process though the scheme is state government sponsored.

The most discouraging observation about the Annapoorna yojana by a BJP leader from Chhattisgarh under the condition of anonymity is his apprehension of the Annapoorna Yojana going the Chhattisgarh C.M.Dr.Raman Singh's similar most ambitious and much publicised 'Dal-Bhat' yojana way. This may be an unpleasant observation about the Annapoorna Yojana which is still being launched but such a possibility should not be wished away and sufficient care should be taken in advance so that the yojana does not abort mid-way for financial crunch , centre's alleged non -cooperation or the inefficient handling of the yojana by the official machinery .Not only the C.M. but the whole party has stakes in this yojana keeping in view the impending assembly elections Latest reports reaching Bhopal from sources closely monitoring the Dal Bhat yojana in Chhattisgarh indicate that all is not well with this yojana there.

This may just be a pessimistic apprehension but there is no harm in treating the warning seriously by the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and his state administration so that at the ground level nothing goes haywires and the Annapoorna yojana going the Dal Bhat way does not become a reality.!