Karimnagar: The Telangana State government has started distributing fine rice to ration card holders from the Ugadi festival onwards. This comes after a three-month delay, as the program was originally planned to begin in January. The move is meant to help low-income and middle-class families, who have been struggling with the rising prices of rice.
Previously, the government only provided coarse rice and did not include other essentials like wheat, sugar, or pulses. Over the last two years, the price of fine rice has gone up significantly—from Rs 35-40 per kg to Rs 60-70 per kg—making it hard for many families to afford.
A local housewife, Manjula, shared her thoughts on the new distribution. She said her middle-class family has been finding it difficult to buy rice due to high prices. She expressed relief and happiness now that the government is providing fine rice. She also requested that other grocery items such as sugar, wheat, and pulses be included in the future.
Ration Rodda Srinivas, president of the Karimnagar District Ration Dealers Association, welcomed the government’s decision. He said it is a positive step, but asked that the commission for ration dealers be increased. He explained that in the past, ration dealers had to take large loans and pay for goods upfront, but the profits were too low—barely enough to cover the interest.
The current number of ration cards and beneficiaries in the district is quite large. In Karimnagar, there are 2,76,929 ration cards serving 8,04,968 people. In Jagityala, 3,07,127 cards serve 8,82,187 people. Peddapalli has 2,19,671 cards for 6,24,946 beneficiaries, and Sircilla has 1,73,745 cards for 4,97,103 beneficiaries.
