Minister for Civil Supplies and Finance Etela Rajender today informed the Telangana Assembly that the state government aimed to provide a square meal to the needy through his department.
He said that stringent measures would however be taken with regard to bogus ration cards.
"We will protect the interests of the poor and cancel the bogus ration cards," Rajender said, adding that of 2.74 lakh ration cards, over 20,000 were bogus.
Removal of the bogus cards would help offer the essential commodities to those who were really in need, he said.
The government had spent Rs 6,389 crores during 2015-16 under the Rs 1-a-kilogram fine rice scheme, he claimed. And while the Centre gave 5 kg per head, the State government was giving 6 kg for a person, he pointed out.