HYDERABAD: Irrigation & Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday said that the state government will be bringing a revolutionary change in the history of Public Distribution System (PDS) by supplying sanna biyyam (superfine variety rice) to 84 per cent of state population with an annual outlay of Rs 13,523 crore.
Divulging the details of distribution of sanna biyyam during a press conference at the state Secretariat here, the minister said: “With this scheme, which will be launched on the day of Ugadi (March 30), the Congress government wants to ensure that nobody goes hungry.”
“In my political career spanning over 30 years, I have not seen a welfare scheme better than this. It is aimed at delivering social justice, providing benefits to all the BPL families. This is unprecedented in the history of independent India,” he added.
“Around 3.1 crore people will receive benefits under this scheme,” the minister.
He pointed out the coarse food grains currently being distributed lack quality, due to which the beneficiaries are not showing interest, which in turn leading to illegal sale of food grains at dealer and beneficiary level.
Uttam said that currently the state requires 24 LMT per year for distribution but the requirement may go up by 10 to 15 per cent due to increase in number of beneficiaries.
“The state and union governments jointly spend Rs 10,665 crore annually. The figure may go up to Rs 13,523 crore in the near future,” he said.
Stating that controlling misuse and pilferage of PDS food grains was a national challenge, the minister said that the new scheme aims to provide edible food grains to all the beneficiaries.
“This scheme would bring a great change in the lives of middle class and below poverty line families as envisioned by former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who played a key role in bringing the National Food Security Act 2013,” the minister said.
He also addressed the contentions of around 30 lakh people, who were waiting to get covered under PDS, stating that the government is working in “saturation mode” to issue ration cards.
He said that although new cards have not been issued, the government will start the distribution of sanna biyyam to the applicants whose applications were cleared. He blamed the previous BRS government for not issuing new ration cards.
He said that increase in total number of ration cards was only 49,479 during the BRS regime and linked these new cards to bypolls held during the previous government. “We have resolved to issue 10 times more than this in our 10 to 15 months rule,” he said.
Stating around 90 lakh people will be supplied sanna Biyyam from April 1 across the state, he said: “This is not just about rice. It’s about dignity, justice and care for the poor. Telangana is showing the way.”