80 per cent population in Telangana state have white ration cards
K M Dayashankar
Against 4 crore population, over 2.79 crore population are falling under BPL category
Govt is giving a subsidy of Rs 28.24 per kg for distribution of Re 1 a kg rice scheme to white ration cardholders
Total subsidy on PDS rice alone amounts to Rs 2,088 crore per annum
KARIMNAGAR: The rich state of Telangana, which is performing well in all sectors and standing sixth place in the Sustainable development goals of India index 2020-2021, has more than 80 per cent population availing white ration card benefits including Re 1 a kg rice scheme.
These startling revelations were made by Minister for Civil Supplies and BC Welfare Gangula Kamalakar during the distribution of Food security cards to the beneficiaries at Subhashnagar in Karimnagar town on Tuesday. He said that against a total population of 4 crore in the Telangana state, more than 2.79 crore people were living in the below poverty line (BPL) category and availing the Food security card benefits.
He said that the state government had sanctioned and started distribution of a record 3,09,083 food security cards from July 26 onwards in the state. The government received 4.97 lakh application forms and the authorities after scrutiny and field inspections had sanctioned 3,09,083 lakh Food security cards to the beneficiaries.
In Karimnagar Urban area, a total of 1811 cards would be distributed, he said and added that they would take measures to add additional names in the already existing Food security cards. The Minister also said that the beneficiaries of the new Food Security Cards could secure the rice from the ration shops from the month of August onwards. He claimed that the Food security cards were issued in a transparent manner without giving scope for irregularities.
Earlier governments had restricted the rice supply for a ration card to only 20 kgs. But the TRS government was sanctioning 6 kgs per head rice to the total members enrolled in the ration card. The Minister assured to provide ration cards to all eligible persons in the state. ZP chairperson K Vijaya, MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao, Mayor Y Sunil Rao, Additional Joint Collector GV Shyam Prasad Lal, Municipal Commissioner Valluru Kranthi, DSO Suresh Reddy, DM (civil supplies) Srikanth Reddy, corporators Arsha Kiranmayi, Ganta Kalyani and others were also present.
