Uttam Kumar Reddy: Fine rice scheme getting huge public support, says it’s a game-changer
Minister Uttam Uttam Kumar Reddy and CS Santhi Kumari conducts video-conference with District Collectors
Hyderabad : Irrigation & Civil Supplies Minister Capt N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana’s free fine rice distribution scheme was receiving a great response from the people. He called it the largest food security initiative in India’s history.
He was speaking during a video conference conducted by Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari with all District Collectors from the Dr B. R. Ambedkar Secretariat on Friday. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the scheme was a proud achievement and a milestone in Telangana’s welfare journey.
“This scheme is bringing a real change in people’s lives. We must make this a historic and inclusive effort,” he said.
The Minister said nearly 85% of the state’s poor population would benefit from this programme. He warned that there should be no delay or irregularity in rice supply. “Strict action will be taken if there are any malpractices. Everything must be done perfectly,” he said.
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Uttam Kumar Reddy asked officials to ensure proper monitoring, smooth transport, and full involvement of public representatives. He said MLAs, MLCs, and MPs should join the distribution process and also eat meals with beneficiaries to build trust.
He announced that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy would have lunch with a beneficiary in Bhadrachalam on April 6, the day of Sri Rama Navami. Uttam Kumar Reddy himself would have dinner with a PDS beneficiary in Suryapet on Friday night.
The Minister recalled that earlier, the government was distributing coarse rice which was not liked by the poor. Though the government spent Rs 10,665 crore every year on it, the rice remained unused. Most of it, he said, was diverted and sold in the black market. Rice worth Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 crore was misused annually.
“After detailed study and several meetings with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, we decided to replace coarse rice with fine rice,” he said. “This is a game-changer. It prevents misuse and provides real benefit to the poor.”
He said the scheme was launched on March 30 on Ugadi by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy from Huzurnagar constituency. Every eligible person would get 6 kg of fine rice per month. The government would distribute 30 lakh metric tonnes of rice every year at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore. The Minister called it a model of social justice, saying it would benefit 3.10 crore people – around 85% of Telangana’s population.
He also said no welfare scheme in independent India had ever reached such a large share of the population. “In my political career, I’ve never seen a programme of this scale,” he said.
During the conference, district collectors said distribution was going on smoothly in most areas. Over 99% coverage had been achieved in several districts, and public response was very positive.
Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari directed collectors to counter false propaganda about the scheme. She asked them to share correct and factual information and highlight the success of the programme.
The Minister said the government would soon begin physical distribution of ration cards. A Tricolour Card would be given to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and a Green Card to Above Poverty Line (APL) families. He instructed collectors to carry out perfect verification to ensure no eligible person was left out.
He added that Telangana had 89.73 lakh ration cards at the time of its formation. But in the 10 years of the BRS rule, only 49,479 new cards were issued. No effort was made to add new members to existing cards. Now, under the Congress government, both fresh cards and member additions were being processed on a large scale.
As of now, Telangana has around 90 lakh ration cards covering 2.85 crore people. Nearly 30 lakh more cards are expected to be issued soon after verification, taking the total number to 1 crore and total beneficiaries to 3.10 crore. “We will go up to saturation level. No eligible family will be left out,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
He added that a detailed letter with complete information had been sent to all officials concerned. Later, the Minister held another video conference with MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and Corporation Chairmen from his chambers at the Secretariat. Ministers Komatireddy Venkatreddy, Ponnam Prabhakar and D Sridhar Babu also participated.
Uttam Kumar Reddy told public representatives to visit fair price shops and actively take part in the rice distribution drive. He urged them to eat PDS rice meals with the public to show their involvement.
He called the scheme a mission for restoring the dignity of the poor. “This is not just a scheme. It’s a transformational step. Let’s implement it honestly, transparently, and with full commitment,” he said.
