3.15 crore persons getting fine rice now in Telangana under PDS: Uttam
Minister for Civil Supplies and Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has stated that there is no better welfare scheme than providing fine-quality rice to ration cardholders under the public distribution system, and Telangana is the only State in the country to do so.
Speaking at a programme in Huzurnagar on Tuesday to distribute new ration cards, he said he was fortunate that the supply of fine-quality rice as part of PDS was launched in his constituency. The in-charge Minister for the combined Nalgonda district, A. Laxman Kumar, Commissioner of Civil Supplies, D.S. Chouhan, and others participated in the event.
Alleging that the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had neglected the issuance of new ration cards, Mr. Uttam Reddy said the Congress government would give new ration cards to every eligible family/household. He explained that their government had issued 7,95,685 new ration cards with a total of 33,97,367 beneficiaries.
At the time of the Congress government assuming office, there were about 89 lakh ration cards in the State with a total of 2.81 crore beneficiaries. The number of beneficiaries has now gone up to 3,78,00,367 which has set a new benchmark in welfare governance by delivering food security, nutrition and social justice to over 80% of the State's population.
Mr. Uttam Reddy recalled that the Fine Rice Scheme, which ensures 6 kg of fine-quality rice per person per month to every ration card holder, has emerged as the country's most ambitious and inclusive food welfare programme. He stated that over 1.85 crore people benefited from the first phase of fine rice distribution beginning in Huzurnagar and on expansion in ration card coverage, over 3.15 crore individuals were now receiving this entitlement regularly across the State.
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