Uttam, Mahesh Goud Call Fine Rice Scheme A Game Changer, Hold Zoom Meeting On Statewide Rollout

Hyderabad, April 11: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and TPCC President M Mahesh Kumar Goud on Friday held a high-level Zoom meeting with senior Congress leaders to review the implementation of Telangana’s flagship free fine rice distribution scheme and the ongoing Rabi crop procurement process.

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Describing the fine rice initiative as a game changer in food security and welfare, the leaders said Telangana was setting a national benchmark with the move. They praised the overwhelming public response and reiterated that the scheme, launched by the Congress Government, was here to stay and could not be undone by any future regime.

Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy informed the participants that the Rabi harvest had been completed in several districts and was nearing completion in others. Procurement centres were being opened across all districts, and necessary instructions had already been issued to District Collectors to ensure smooth procurement operations.

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The Zoom meeting saw the active participation of TPCC Working Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, General Secretaries, Spokespersons, and District, Town and Mandal Congress Committee Presidents. Leaders shared feedback from the ground and applauded the state government’s twin focus on nutrition for the poor and justice for the farmers.

All participants unanimously praised the Congress Government’s decision to provide fine rice through ration shops, calling it a historic and revolutionary move that had received an overwhelming response from people across Telangana. Many leaders described it as a milestone initiative that no future government would dare to roll back.

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Addressing the meeting, Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “It gives me immense satisfaction to have launched a programme that fills the stomachs of the poor with quality rice. The response from people has been phenomenal. The BJP and BRS are reacting with envy. I don’t intend to indulge in political bickering, but it’s obvious they are frustrated seeing the Congress win people’s hearts.”

He pointed out that neither BJP nor BRS had ever distributed fine rice. “They gave substandard rice to 2.8 crore people and spent Rs 10,000 crore. We are now spending over Rs 13,000 crore to serve fine rice to 3.10 crore beneficiaries. That’s the scale of our commitment,” he said.

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Referring to past complaints about the poor quality of rice, Uttam said the earlier rice was often so inferior that many families had stopped consuming it. “Our government brought in a revolutionary change. Yes, it costs more, but we are proud to spend more to fill the stomachs of the poorest with dignity and quality food,” he remarked.

He informed that the distribution of fine rice could not be initiated in the Hyderabad district due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the MLC elections. However, he announced that the scheme would be formally launched in the State capital from May 1. He also stated that the process for issuing new ration cards had already begun and eligible families would receive them soon. As part of the new system, Below Poverty Line (BPL) families would be issued tri-colour ration cards, while Above Poverty Line (APL) families would receive green ration cards, ensuring clear categorisation and streamlined delivery of benefits.

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He urged Congress leaders to ensure the scheme reaches every doorstep. “Take the message of this fine rice scheme into the heart of every village and ward,” he said.

Highlighting the agricultural achievements under the new regime, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana had witnessed a record paddy harvest on 66.7 lakh acres this Rabi season. “This kind of crop was never seen in history, including the BRS’s 10-year rule. It proves that the Congress truly stands by the farmer,” he asserted.

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He assured that the government was fully committed to purchasing paddy at the Minimum Support Price while giving Rs 500 bonus to fine quality of paddy. He said that the Congress government was committed to purchase every grain produced by the farmers.

TPCC President M Mahesh Kumar Goud added that the success of the fine rice scheme had placed a new responsibility on Congress workers: to educate the masses about the scale and significance of this programme.

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He pointed out that Telangana had become the first state in the country to distribute fine rice through ration shops, and this had begun during the festive seasons of Ugadi and Ramzan, adding symbolic and emotional value to the initiative.

Mahesh Kumar Goud said the government had also offered Rs 500 per quintal as a bonus to farmers cultivating fine paddy, which resulted in a jump in the cultivation area from 25 lakh acres to 40 lakh acres. “In the 2024–25 Kharif season alone, the state procured 24 lakh tonnes of fine paddy from 4.41 lakh farmers, creating a new record,” he said.

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He described the scheme as one that had brought real festivity to the homes of the poor, turning everyday survival into a dignified celebration. “This government has taken bold, historic decisions – distribution of fine rice, caste census, 42% BC reservation and SC sub-categorisation. These are not routine steps but visionary moves to reshape Telangana’s future,” he declared.

He urged all Congress leaders and cadres to make these achievements part of the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ campaign, and explain their relevance to the people. “With this scheme, 84% of Telangana’s poor population is receiving a direct benefit. It is our duty to ensure they recognise and remember who brought this change,” he said. (Maxim News)

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