Telangana: 85% Population to be Covered Under Food Security Act

When the Congress assumed office in December 2023, the state had 89,95,282 cards, which covered 2,81,47,565 beneficiaries. Between January 26 and May 23 this year, the state government approved 2,03,156 new applications. In addition, 15,18,783 applications for the registration of extra members in existing ration cards were approved, bringing 23,90,868 new members into the list of beneficiaries.

From May 24 to June 6 this year, the government approved an additional 2,89,239 new cards, adding 9,10,349 individuals. During this period, 2,65,142 applications for the registration of additional members in existing ration cards were approved, adding 4,17,160 members the list. These will be released on July 14.

In total, the Congress government has distributed 4,92,395 new ration cards since coming into power. Overall, the number of ration cards has reached 94,72,422, benefiting 3,14,56,690 individuals. This constitutes 82 per cent of all households and 85 per cent of the population.

As per the findings of caste census conducted late last year, the state has 1,15,71,457 households with a population of 3,54,75,554.

The government had invited applications for new ration cards and inclusion of beneficiaries starting January 26, 2025.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the distribution of new ration cards will be held in a festive atmosphere across the state from July 14. MLAs and district incharge ministers would take part in distribution programmes and hand over ration cards to beneficiaries.

He said the issuance of ration cards and addition of members was a continuous process and would continue even after July 14. He asked collectors of all districts to complete verification of eligible applications to ensure no deserving family was left out. Uttam Kumar Reddy stressed that the beneficiary selection process must be transparent and corruption-free.

“The government’s focus is to ensure that every eligible person gets a ration card without any discrimination,” he said, adding that review meetings will now be held twice a month to maintain strict oversight.

Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that Telangana’s flagship free fine rice scheme delivers 6 kg of rice per person every month to nearly 3.1 crore people, through fair price shops, at a cost of over ₹13,000 crore annually. In June, July, and August, the state government provided three months’ worth of rations at once to ensure uninterrupted supply during the monsoon, distributing 18 kg per person, 105 kg per Antyodaya family, and 30 kg per Annapurna family.

The minister noted that the previous BRS government had neglected food security and ration card enrolment. “At the time of Telangana’s formation in 2014, there were 89.73 lakh white ration cards, but the BRS added only around 49,000 in 10 years, mostly during by-elections, ignoring lakhs of families,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He said the Congress government had received lakhs of new applications which were being scrutinised and approved expeditiously.

He said that the new ration card distribution is a landmark step in effective implementation of the Food Security Act and in providing relief to the poor, showing the Congress government’s commitment to equitable growth and social welfare.

Before Congress govt:

89,95,282 cards, 2,81,47,565 beneficiaries when Congress came to power in Dec. 2023

After Congress govt:

94,72,422 cards, 3,14,56,690 beneficiaries

Congress adds 4,92,395 ration cards