Nalgonda: Irrigation and civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday described the issuance of new ration cards to eligible families as a landmark fulfilment of the Congress government’s promise to ensure food security for all poor households in Telangana.Addressing a preparatory meeting of Congress leaders at Tirumalagiri, he announced that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will formally launch the new ration-card distribution at a public gathering on July 14 in Suryapet district’s Tirumalagiri. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and several other ministers will also attend. “This initiative marks a historic step toward our commitment to provide 6 kg of fine rice per person, per month, completely free of charge to every ration-card holder,” he said. Uttam Kumar Reddy, speaking in his native Huzurnagar constituency, where the fine-rice distribution scheme began this Ugadi, credited Congress president Sonia Gandhi for championing the National Food Security Act and described the current programme as an extension of her vision. He emphasised that, unlike previous administrations that distributed ration cards only around election time, the Congress government has made issuance and updates a continuous administrative process, covering all eligible families without discrimination. He faulted the former BRS government for issuing no new cards in ten years and for failing to update existing family details. With the new cards and updated data, the state now serves 3.10 crore individuals across 94.72 lakh families, at an annual cost of ₹13,000 crore for procuring and distributing fine rice. Uttam Kumar Reddy noted that the quality of rice is “far superior” to that of previous regimes. He called the drive “a milestone in independent India’s welfare governance,” reaffirming the government’s dedication to its six guarantees, particularly those ensuring food security, social justice, and dignity for the poor. To support the scheme, the state offered a record ₹500 per quintal bonus to fine-rice farmers, helping Telangana achieve an all-time high grain production of 281 lakh tonnes in the kharif and rabi seasons and emerge as India’s top grain-producing state. Highlighting other social-justice measures, he cited the long-pending SC categorisation, the historic 42 per cent BC reservation in local-body elections, and the comprehensive caste census, the first in nearly 100 years, conducted by 1.04 lakh enumerators. As chair of the SC categorisation and BC caste-census subcommittees, he said their recommendations would inform upcoming job notifications, and that an ordinance granting 42 per cent BC reservation has already been issued. Earlier, ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Adluri Laxman Kumar visited senior Congress leader and former minister Ramreddy Damodar Reddy at his Tungaturthi residence to enquire about his health and extend their support.
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