Telangana govt to roll out fine rice scheme from January: Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 22 : Telangana Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday announced that fine rice would be distributed to all ration card holders across Telangana from January.
Speaking at the State Level Vigilance Committee meeting at the Telangana Secretariat, he emphasised that this initiative is a key election promise of the Congress government.
During the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy reviewed issues related to the Civil Supplies Department. He stressed the importance of delivering the best quality rice to consumers. He also instructed officials to supply wheat at subsidised prices wherever needed, ensuring that demands are met across the state.
The Minister issued a stern warning to ration dealers against diverting Public Distribution System (PDS) rice.
He assured that the government is addressing the grievances of ration dealers and providing them with incentives. However, he warned that any diversion of PDS rice would not be tolerated, suggesting that the penalty should be the cancellation of the dealership. He called for strict measures to prevent the illegal trading of PDS rice.
Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, who was also present at the meeting, raised concerns about the poor quality and insufficient quantity of rice being supplied under the mid-day meal scheme.
In response, Uttam Kumar Reddy directed officials to address these issues and ensure a significant improvement in the quality of rice supplied to schools and hostels. Therefore, there should be a special focus on the rice being supplied to residential schools, hostels and Anganwadi centres, he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also expressed concerns about the quality of fortified rice and instructed officials to carry out checks to ensure beneficiaries receive the designated quantity and best quality.
The Minister asked officials to explore the possibility of increasing the number of Antyodaya cards in the state.
It was informed during the meeting that the demand for kerosene had dropped, leading to the discontinuation of its allocation in June.
Regarding the Mahalakshmi scheme, Uttam Kumar Reddy directed the Civil Supplies Department to give wide publicity to the provision of gas cylinders at Rs 500. He suggested that the department should send messages to all beneficiaries and use balloons and other publicity materials to inform the public about the scheme. Lastly, the Minister inquired about the 1,629 vacancies in Fair Price Shops and urged officials to fill these positions promptly.
Civil Supplies Commissioner DS Chauhan assured the Minister that he would provide a detailed report on various issues within 10 days.