Bengaluru wastes 943 tonnes of food every year: CM

Bengaluru: “Having faced hunger myself, I know the true value of food. That’s why we launched the Anna Bhagya scheme,” said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Speaking at the World Food Day programme organized by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies at Banquet Hall, he emphasized, “Poet Bendre called farmers Annapurna — the embodiment of food and life. Wasting food is nothing short of an insult to the farmer, to Annapurna herself.”

He recalled, “There was a time when India depended on America for food aid. Today, we are self-reliant and even export food to other countries. Yet, the amount of food we waste keeps increasing — that is truly disturbing.”

Citing a GKVK study, CM Siddaramaiah revealed, “Bengaluru alone wastes about 943 tonnes of food every year — food worth nearly Rs 360 crore. To waste food knowingly is to show arrogance toward the very essence of sustenance.” He added, “Mahatma Gandhi once said that wasting food is a sinful act.”

Reaffirming his party’s stand, the Chief Minister said, “The Congress party has always believed that no one should go to bed hungry. Every welfare scheme for the poor has been initiated by Congress. The Food Security Act, brought in by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s government, was opposed by the BJP. People must understand that Congress stands firmly with the poor and the hungry.”

Issuing a stern warning, Siddaramaiah said, “Strict action will be taken against those who misuse rice supplied under the Anna Bhagya scheme by selling it illegally. To prevent black market trading, we’ve decided to distribute five kilograms of pulses and lentils in addition to five kilograms of rice.”

Concluding his address, he urged, “Let us all be mindful about food. Let’s protect our small farmers. Ensuring food security and preventing waste is not just the government’s duty — it’s a shared responsibility of every citizen.”