‘Telangana role model in food security’: 93 lakh families have ration cards, says deputy CM Bhatti

Hyderabad: “Ration card signifies food security,” said deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu. He was speaking at a public gathering organised at Bonakal mandal headquarters in Madhira constituency on Monday during the distribution of new ration cards.

He stated that in the Indiramma government, ration cards are being issued not only to the poorest but also to economically backward middle-class families.

Welfare and development are moving forward like the two wheels of a chariot, he said.

‘93 lakh families issued ration cards’

“Out of the 1.15 crore families in the State, 93 lakh families have been issued ration cards, and they are receiving subsidised fine rice under the public government’s welfare programs. Each individual in a family is being provided six kilograms of fine rice per month—a record in the history of India,” he said.

Telangana has emerged as a role model in the country in ensuring food security, both in terms of the number of beneficiaries and quantity of fine rice distributed, he added.

He mentioned that many newly married couples, and others who waited for over 10 years for inclusion of names, additions and changes in ration cards, had been left disappointed in the past. But now, under the new administration, the long wait has finally ended, he said.

‘No breaks in issuing ration cards’

He said that in Madhira constituency alone, 13,767 new beneficiaries were issued ration cards in a single day.

The Deputy CM criticised the previous united Andhra Pradesh governments for neglecting the continuous process of ration card issuance. He said that after the new people’s government came into power, the ration card issuance process was resumed immediately.

Last week, Irrigation, Food and Civil Supplies minister Capt. N Uttam Kumar Reddy claimed that the Congress government in Telangana has created history in the welfare journey by launching the Statewide distribution of over 5.61 lakh new ration cards in a single phase.

28 lakh new ration card applications filed this year; over 3.6 lakh cards approved so far

Replying to an RTI request, the Telangana Civil Supplies Department has recently stated that it has received over 28 lakh new ration card applications so far this year, reflecting the continued demand for food security coverage among households across the State.

Nearly 20 lakh applications under Praja Palana

The RTI reply also revealed that between January and July this year, a total of 19,57,105 ration card applications were received through the Praja Palana programme.

Additionally, 8,70,159 applications were submitted via Mee Seva centres, highlighting the multiple channels being used by citizens to access welfare schemes. The total number of applications amounted to 28,27,264 so far.

The deputy CM said that 51 lakh families in the State are benefiting under the free 200-unit electricity scheme. Similarly, under the Rajiv Aarogyasri scheme, free medical treatment up to Rs 10 lakh is now accessible to 93 lakh families, he said.

‘Rs 21,000 crore worth farmer loans waived off’

He also mentioned that within three months of coming to power, Rs 21,000 crore worth of farm loans for around two lakh farmers were waived off and paid to banks.

He said that recently, within just nine days, Rs 9,000 crore was directly deposited into farmers’ accounts under the Rythu Bandhu scheme as investment support.

He said the government is not only focusing on welfare schemes but also implementing large-scale development programs.

He said that the Roads and Buildings Department has taken up Rs 20,000 crore worth of road development works across the State. To provide world-class education to students, Young India Residential Schools are being established and made accessible, he added.