Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has asked the central government to release ₹1,468.94 crore that has been pending for nearly 10 years. This amount is for the supply of rice to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) during the 2014-15 Kharif season. He also requested the reinstatement of a 4,000 MW solar power generation permit for the state.
Revanth Reddy and State Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy met Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi on Tuesday. They explained that the pending amount was an additional cost borne by the Telangana government. They urged the central government to release the funds immediately.
In addition to this, they also asked for ₹343.27 crore in arrears for supplying rice under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana between May 2021 and April 2022. Another ₹79.09 crore meant for the Non-NFSA (National Food Security Act) from June 2021 to April 2022 is also yet to be received. They further requested that the Custom Milling Rice (CMR) period be extended from one month to four months to ensure smooth supply.
The Chief Minister also urged the central government to restore the 4,000 MW solar power generation permit under the PM Kusum Scheme. This permit was originally given to Telangana but was later reduced to 1,000 MW. He highlighted that this initiative would help women’s self-help groups involved in solar power generation.
After the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy told the media that the Union Minister responded positively. He expressed hope that the pending dues would be released soon.