Hyderabad: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Friday said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy-led Congress govt launched a fine rice distribution programme that fills the stomachs of the poor with quality rice. They accused the BJP and BRS of reacting with envy.
“I don’t intend to indulge in political bickering, but it’s obvious they are frustrated seeing the Congress win people’s hearts. Neither BJP nor BRS ever distributed fine rice. The previous BRS govt gave substandard rice to 2.8 crore people and spent Rs 10,000 crore. We are now spending over 13,000 crore to serve fine rice to 3.10 crore beneficiaries. That’s the scale of our commitment,” Uttam said.
Uttam and Mahesh Goud held an online meeting with senior Congress leaders to review the implementation of Telangana’s flagship free fine rice distribution scheme and the ongoing Rabi crop procurement process. They called upon the party leaders to ensure the scheme reaches every doorstep. “Take the message of this fine rice scheme into the heart of every village and ward,” Uttam said.
Terming the fine rice initiative as a game changer in food security and welfare, the leaders said Telangana was setting a national benchmark with the move. They praised the overwhelming public response and reiterated that the scheme, launched by the Congress govt, was here to stay and could not be undone by any future regime.
Uttam told the party leaders that the Rabi harvest was almost completed in several districts and was nearing completion in others. Procurement centres were being opened across all districts, and necessary instructions were already issued to District Collectors to ensure smooth procurement operations. The party leaders shared feedback from the ground and applauded the state govt’s twin focus on nutrition for the poor and justice for the farmers.
All participants unanimously praised the Congress govt’s decision to provide fine rice through ration shops, calling it a historic and revolutionary move that received an overwhelming response from people across Telangana. Many leaders described it as a milestone initiative that no future govt would dare to roll back. “It gives me immense satisfaction to have launched a programme that fills the stomachs of the poor with quality rice,” Uttam said.
Referring to past complaints about the poor quality of rice, Uttam said the earlier rice was often so inferior that many families stopped consuming it. “Our govt brought in a revolutionary change. Yes, it costs more, but we are proud to spend more to fill the stomachs of the poorest with dignity and quality food,” he remarked.
He informed that the distribution of fine rice could not be initiated in the Hyderabad district due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the MLC elections. However, he announced that the scheme would be formally launched in the state capital from May 1.
He also stated that the process for issuing new ration cards already began and eligible families would receive them soon. As part of the new system, Below Poverty Line (BPL) families would be issued tri-colour ration cards, while Above Poverty Line (APL) families would receive green ration cards, ensuring clear categorisation and streamlined delivery of benefits.
