Hyderabad, Mar 30 (TNT) ; Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday outlined key policy measures aimed at strengthening farmer welfare and reforming the public distribution system (PDS).
Interacting with media persons after partaking in a fine rice meal along with Assembly Speaker, Legislative Council Chairman and legislators at the Central Hall of the Telangana Assembly complex, hosted by Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, the Chief Minister said farmers remain disadvantaged as they are unable to determine prices for their produce, making them vulnerable to middlemen.
To mark the first anniversary of the launch of fine rice districution under PDS, the fine rice lunch was hosted by Civil supplies department.
He said mechanisms such as the Minimum Support Price (MSP), introduced during earlier Congress governments, were aimed at safeguarding farmers’ interests.
Reddy also termed illegal hoarding of essential commodities a serious offence, noting that stringent laws were enacted in the past to curb such practices and prevent profiteering.
Referring to subsidised rice schemes, he said the ₹1-per-kg rice programme had played a crucial role in ensuring food security over the decades, but required reforms to better meet present needs.
He said continued distribution of coarse rice had led to inefficiencies and black-market practices, where it was converted into fine rice. To address this, the government introduced a fine rice distribution scheme under the PDS.
Under the initiative, farmers are being encouraged to cultivate fine paddy varieties with an incentive of ₹500 per quintal.
He said about 3.39 crore people, nearly 86 per cent of the State’s population, are currently benefiting from the scheme, with coverage expected to increase further.
The Chief Minister said ration cards have been issued to all eligible beneficiaries and added that stricter monitoring by the Civil Supplies Department has helped curb diversion and black-market activities.
Marking one year of the scheme’s implementation, Reddy said the government would now focus on improving quality education and ensuring nutritious food for students.
He also emphasised agricultural diversification, encouraging farmers to adopt crop rotation and shift towards commercial crops through awareness programmes.
The Chief Minister further stated that the government is planning to introduce a dedicated system to curb food adulteration, similar to existing enforcement mechanisms such as “Eagle” and “Hydra”.
Revanth Reddy said that a robust and foolproof framework would be developed after studying relevant laws from across the country.
TNT TS
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