AP minister Kodali Nani says all cardholders will get ration

Vijayawada: Minister for civil supplies Kodali Venkateswara Rao (Nani) slammed TDP for playing cheap politics during these tough times and said every ration cardholder in the state will receive ration.

Speaking to the media here on Tuesday, the minister said in the next two to three days ration will be supplied to all beneficiaries. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and his henchmen are trying to defame village volunteers who are working hard under these adverse conditions, he alleged.

"Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has ordered that ration will be distributed to people without taking their fingerprints," Mr Rao said, adding people are lining up at ration shops from 6 a.m to 11 a.m in the wake of the lockdown. It takes time to weigh dal, sugar, and rice for every beneficiary which is why the dealers are able to distribute ration to only 20 people per hour, the minister said.

He said all ration shops will remain open till the last beneficiary receives the ration. He slammed all those who had earlier attacked village volunteers but are now asking why they are not delivering ration to people's doorsteps. The village volunteers, he said, are working with the health department and surveying every home on a day-to-day basis. The minister lambasted TDP leaders Bonda Umamaheswar Rao and Somireddy who had earlier tried to defame the village volunteers and are now playing cheap politics. "Mr Naidu is afraid of the virus and is hiding at his home in Hyderabad," he said.

Mr Rao said the government will deliver ration to the homes of the people, a practice started in Srikakulam which will be implemented across the state by August. "Due to the Corona virus outbreak, we have shifted to the old system which is the standard practice. The volunteers have other things to do to fight the pandemic," he said.