Telangana: Decaying ‘Doddu Biyyam’, Yet To Be Cleared From Ration Shops
The civil supplies department has floated tenders several times to clear the 1.4 LMT of coarse rice: Reports
HYDERABAD: As the state government focuses on distributing fine rice (sanna biyyam) through the Public Distribution System (PDS), about 1.4 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of coarse rice (doddu biyyam), worth at least ₹300 crore, procured before the launch of the scheme in 2025 remains accumulated at different levels across the state. There were no takers for this rice for over one and a half years.
Of the total stock, more than 25,000 metric tonnes remain with ration dealers, while the rest is stored at buffer godowns and Mandal Level Stock (MLS) points. The accumulated stocks are estimated to be worth between ₹300 crore and ₹350 crore.
The civil supplies department has floated tenders several times to clear the 1.4 LMT of coarse rice, but has failed to find bidders for more than one-and-a-half years. Officials said the department had earlier proposed receiving the stocks and auctioning them, but the process has since stopped.
“There is no response even for the latest tender from the bidders. The doddu biyyam remains accumulated at different levels,” officials clarified to Deccan Chronicle.
Ration dealers, who have been holding stocks accumulated before the implementation of the ‘Sanna Biyyam’ scheme in March 2025, said much of the rice had deteriorated. Some dealers have begun disposing of damaged stocks after making repeated representations to the authorities.
“The rice has not only been infested and damaged, but is also inviting bandicoot rats, which are also damaging the new stocks in the ration shops. Most of us have already started throwing away, after giving more than 20 representations,” said Naikoti Raju, president of Telangana State Ration Dealers Welfare Association.
In a representation to officials at the civil supplies commissionerate, the association said the delay in clearing the “closing balance” of coarse rice had resulted in some stocks turning into a “powdery form”.
“Owing to the foul smell emanating from rice bags, we are not even able to operate the business as usual, and even property owners started questioning. There is no space for new arrivals in the shops,” the association noted.