Bhatti hails ration card drive, says Telangana balances welfare with development

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday said that Telangana’s welfare and development efforts are proceeding in tandem, citing the state’s large-scale ration card distribution as a landmark in food security policy.

Addressing a public event in Bonakal mandal, Khammam district, Vikramarka stated that 93 lakh families across Telangana now benefit from subsidised fine rice under the public welfare scheme, with each person receiving six kilograms per month. “This is a record in the country,” he said.

He noted that the new ration cards are being issued not just to the poorest but also to middle-class families in need. Of the 1.15 crore families in the state, over 80% now have ration cards. In Madhira constituency alone, 13,767 new cards were distributed in a single day.

Criticising past administrations in undivided Andhra Pradesh for ignoring the continual update of ration rolls, Vikramarka said the Congress-led government restarted the process immediately after coming to power. “Many newlyweds and others who waited over a decade are finally being recognised,” he said.

He added that the state is also executing large-scale infrastructure development alongside welfare delivery. The Roads and Buildings Department is undertaking ₹20,000 crore worth of road works, and Young India Residential Schools are being established to provide quality education.