Telangana CM eats lunch with beneficiary family of fine rice scheme

Hyderabad, April 6 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had lunch on Sunday with a beneficiary family of the state government’s free fine rice distribution scheme.

The Chief Minister dined with B. Srinivas’s family at their residence in Sarapaka in the Burgampadu mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district.

Revanth Reddy was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao, P. Srinivas Reddy, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and other officials.

The Chief Minister enquired about the welfare of the family. He also asked the woman member of the family, Tulasamma, about the quality of fine rice received by them.

The woman told him that they were not even using coarse rice hitherto being supplied through ration shops. Expressing her happiness over the fine rice distribution, she said the family was now cooking and eating this rice.

The Chief Minister also enquired from the family if they were availing the schemes like 200 units of free electricity and a gas cylinder for Rs 500.

Tulasamma told the Chief Minister that free travel in Road Transport Corporation buses is immensely benefiting them.

The Chief Minister launched a free fine rice distribution scheme on March 30 in the Huzurnagar constituency.

Under the scheme rolled out from April 1 across the state, every eligible person gets 6 kg of fine rice per month. The government will distribute 30 lakh metric tonnes of rice every year at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore.

Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said the scheme would benefit 3.10 crore people – around 85 per cent of Telangana’s population.

At a video conference to review the implementation of the scheme on April 4, the minister termed the free distribution of fine rice through the Public Distribution System a game-changer.

Calling it the largest food security initiative in India’s history, he claimed that the scheme is receiving a huge response from the people.

The Civil Supplies Minister will have dinner with a beneficiary family in Suryapet. He asked MLAs, MLCs, and MPs to join the distribution process and also eat meals with beneficiaries to build trust.

The government was earlier distributing coarse rice, which was not liked by the poor. Though the government was spending Rs 10,665 crore every year on it, the rice remained unused.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said most of it was diverted and sold in the black market. Rice worth Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 crore was misused annually.

--IANS

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