VIJAYAWADA: In response to an article -- “PDS rice scam uncovered in Andhra’s Kakinada district’ published in these columns on May 12, the Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited has clarified that there is no truth in the allegations reported.
It was alleged that PDS rice on the way to Kakinada port from Telangana was seized, which the corporation said is false and baseless.
The corporation pointed out that Telangana Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has flagged off a ship named MV Troung An on March 30 and rice millers in Telangana started delivering rice to Kakinada from February 9, 2025 onwards only.
Further elaborating, it said the paddy production in Telangana has increased tremendously, while milling and storage capacity have not increased proportionately in the state.
Hence, there was a need to explore long-term options for the regular offloading of paddy.
Given the circumstances, the Telangana government, with permission of the Central government, decided to export rice to the Philippines, which would fetch immediate revenue and also reduce the loan on the corporation, besides opening doors for the export market.