TS Civil Supplies min warns millers against recycling ration rice

Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation, Food, and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy has issued a stern warning of severe consequences against rice millers and others involved in the recycling of PDS (ration) rice.

After inspecting a ration shop in Huzurnagar to assess the quality of rice and other services on Monday, Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed grave concern over the diversion and misuse of ration rice. Currently, nearly 54 lakh ration cardholders in Telangana receive five kg of rice from the Central Government and one kg from the State Government. Additionally, the State Government provides six kg of rice every month for another 35 lakh ration cardholders. Whether from the Central or State Government, the total procurement cost amounts to Rs 39 per kg. However, he highlighted that almost 70-75 per cent of ration rice is being recycled by millers and other unscrupulous entities.

“The State Government views this matter very seriously. Anyone found involved in the recycling of rice will face severe consequences. The Congress Government is committed to taking stringent action against millers or any other individuals engaged in the recycling of ration rice,” he stated.

Reddy noted that the previous BRS Government left the Civil Supplies Corporation burdened with a massive debt of about Rs 56,000 crore. When the BRS Government assumed office in 2014, the debt was only Rs 3,300 crore. Presently, the annual interest burden of the corporation, responsible for ration distribution and paddy procurement, exceeds Rs 3,000 crore. Over the past decade, the Corporation incurred losses of Rs 11,000 crore due to the gross neglect of the department by the previous government.

Furthermore, he criticised the distorted policy of the earlier BRS government, which entrusted paddy stocks worth Rs 22,000 crore to rice millers without any security or bank guarantee.