Telangana Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar today said that the state government had issued 3,59,974 white ration cards in the state since it came to power in 2014.
Addressing queries during the Question Hour of the ongoing Budget session, he said that while 9,41,641 applications had been received for the issuance of the white ration cards, many had been rejected and the others were being processed.
"We have rejected 92,000 applications so far, and are currently processing the applications 4,88,775 persons. All must understand that the process of ensuring total food security is a continuous one, and that it takes time to achieve such goals. Our government has been working tirelessly towards achieving this," the minister said.
"We have, for instance, issued 44,734 ration cards in Hyderabad over the last three years. However, we are still processing 97,000 more applications. The process was greatly derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. But we have undertaken the process again, and will surely issue the cards to the eligible beneficiaries in the state," Kamalakar added.
Reiterating that welfare measures such as the issuance of ration cards were long and time-taking processes, he also revealed that the government had decided that it would discontinue the provision of rice to those families that did not avail themselves of the benefit for three months in a row.
One hopes that the state's civil supplies department will use the Rs 2,363 crore that was allocated to it in the
2021-22 Budget towards the welfare of the people.