Hyderabad: The Telangana government is set to begin the issuance of new ration cards on January 26. State Transport and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar announced this after a meeting with officials in Hyderabad.
From January 16 to 20, the state will conduct a field-level verification process to identify eligible beneficiaries. The collected data will be recorded starting January 21, leading up to the distribution of new ration cards on January 26.
Minister Prabhakar clarified that the Congress government will adhere to existing eligibility criteria for ration cards and will also accommodate families who have moved to Hyderabad from other districts. He emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting the poor, transcending political lines.
In addition to new ration cards, applications for Indiramma houses will also be accepted. Priority will be given to those with land in Hyderabad under the housing scheme, and the government plans to complete double-bedroom houses initiated by the previous administration. Discussions with contractors regarding this will be held, and a lottery system will be used to allocate completed houses to beneficiaries.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy emphasized that new ration cards will be issued based on previous eligibility standards and instructed District Collectors to ensure that no one holds multiple ration cards.
On January 26, alongside the new ration card issuance, the government will introduce several schemes: Rythu Bharosa, providing farmers with crop investment support of Rs 12,000 per acre, and Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa, which will offer landless laborer families financial aid of Rs 12,000 annually.
On January 10, Chief Minister Reddy announced that lists identifying beneficiaries for Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa and ration cards will be presented in Gram Sabhas. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing housing for all homeless families. The details of 18.32 lakh individuals identified through the Indiramma app have already been forwarded to the districts, with a focus on prioritizing the most disadvantaged. In the first phase of the housing initiative, 3,500 houses have been sanctioned for each Assembly constituency.