The Telangana government is planning to issue new ration cards to all eligible families. To support this, the budget allocation for this year has been increased to ₹5,734 crore. This is a 49.47% rise compared to last year’s allocation of ₹3,836 crore.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, during his budget speech, mentioned that the process of issuing new ration cards and adding family members’ names started on January 26 this year. He pointed out that in the last ten years, the issuance of new ration cards had been neglected. Many poor families had been waiting for them, but the previous government did not address their needs. To fulfill people’s expectations, the current government has decided to issue ration cards to all eligible individuals and ensure they receive fine rice.
The Deputy CM also spoke about the government’s efforts to support farmers. He said that an additional incentive of ₹500 per quintal is being given for fine variety paddy purchased from farmers. This has encouraged more farmers to grow fine paddy, increasing cultivation from 25 lakh acres to 40 lakh acres compared to the previous Kharif season.
As a result, farmers are now earning better prices for their crops. During the Kharif season, the government has already paid ₹1,206.44 crore to fine paddy farmers. To further assist them, 8,332 paddy procurement centers were set up for the 2024-25 Kharif season, ensuring a smooth and easy process for selling their produce.
