Allaying apprehensions of the beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System, Minister for Finance Etala Rajender reaffirmed that the supply of rice to the existing white ration card holders would continue until the new cards (food security cards) were issued to eligible persons.
The Telangana government will issue the new cards (meant only for distribution of rice) based on the data collected during the recent household survey and Aadhaar cards to all eligible people after the ongoing process of receiving applications.
People should be wary of the misinformation campaign being carried out by some vested elements over the ration card issue and desist from falling prey to the evil tactics of middlemen, he cautioned.
Mr. Rajender was in town in connection with some official and private functions on Wednesday.
Talking to media persons in the afternoon, Mr. Rajender said there are around 6.52 lakh white ration cards were in circulation in the district at present. Over four lakh persons have applied for the new cards till date in the district, he noted.
The Telangana government is determined to ensure adequate quota of rice to all the genuine beneficiaries and prevent misuse of rice under PDS.
Over 12 lakh bogus ration cards were surrendered voluntarily by persons in possession of such cards in the State as per an appeal made to this effect a few months ago. This has helped save huge quantity of rice of 20,000 metric tonnes (around 2,000 lorry loads of rice) per month, he pointed out.
The government is evolving foolproof systems to extend education, health and welfare schemes to the intended beneficiaries in an accountable and transparent manner, he asserted.
Expressing serious concern over the drought like conditions in the State, he said there was a shortfall of around 1,400 MW to 1,500 MW of power despite the best efforts by the government to draw power from other States.
Taking an indirect dig at the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh, he alleged that the denial of Telangana’s due share of 54 per cent of total power output had led to the present precarious power situation in the State.
Our government has drawn up plans to augment power generation by setting up new thermal power plants of 6,000 MWs in Khammam and Karimnagar districts.
He said the government had initiated specific measures to ensure purchase of paddy at minimum support price by the rice millers and IKP centres.
