Hyderabad, January 26: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy claimed that the Congress government was committed to ensuring food security and implementing welfare initiatives for all sections of the society.
He was speaking after launching four flagship schemes – Rythu Bharosa, Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa, Indiramma Indlu and the issuance of new ration cards in the Praja Palana programme in Nathallagudem village, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, on the occasion of Republic Day 2025 on Sunday.
Minister Uttam hailed the initiative as the largest and most comprehensive food safety and welfare programme ever undertaken by any state government in independent India. He emphasised that the Congress government has prioritised the upliftment of marginalised communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, minorities, economically weaker sections, farmers, students and youth.
Nalgonda MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Bhuvanagiri MLA Kumbham Anil Reddy, District Collector Manthripragada Hanumantha Rao, senior leaders and officials participated in the programme.
Similar events were held in one selected village in every Mandal across Telangana to mark the official beginning of the programme. While the schemes were ceremoniously launched today, their implementation across the state will take place in the coming days to ensure saturation.
Republic Day, marking the adoption of India’s Constitution was chosen for this historic launch to signify the Congress government’s commitment to the principles of justice, equality, and fraternity. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the minister said, “There are people in the world so hungry that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread,” underlining the moral responsibility of governance to address hunger. He also invoked Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, stating, “A just society is that society in which ascending sense of reverence and descending sense of contempt is dissolved into the creation of a compassionate society,” to highlight the transformative vision of the welfare schemes.
The programme includes four flagship schemes launched to saturation: Rythu Bharosa, providing Rs 12,000 per acre annually to farmers; Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa, offering Rs 12,000 annually to landless agricultural workers; Indiramma Indlu, granting Rs 5 lakh for house construction (with an additional Rs 1 lakh for SC and ST beneficiaries); and the issuance of new ration cards. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy stressed that the issuance of ration cards, which will benefit over 70% of Telangana’s population, is being conducted through a transparent and inclusive process to ensure no eligible person is left out.
He explained that the Congress government is not only issuing ration cards but also transforming the Public Distribution System (PDS). Currently, ration cardholders receive coarse rice, much of which is inedible and often diverted for non-consumption purposes. Once the new ration card issuance process is completed, all cardholders will receive 6 kg of high-quality fine rice per person, free of cost. The initiative, costing the state an additional Rs 11,000 crore annually, is a key component of the government’s commitment to food security. “This is not just about rice; it is about restoring dignity and ensuring nutrition for every household,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy.
The minister criticised the previous BRS government for neglecting food security, pointing out that fewer than 40,000 ration cards were issued during its decade-long rule. It was done during by-elections to cheat the voters. In contrast, the Congress government has already initiated issuing new ration cards to benefit an additional 40 lakh individuals. Beneficiaries were identified through socio-economic surveys, caste data, and applications received via Praja Palana, Praja Vani, and Mee Seva centres. If anyone is still excluded, they could apply, ensuring that no one is excluded.
Alongside food security, the Congress government’s housing scheme, Indiramma Indlu, aims to provide every eligible family with financial assistance for house construction. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy reassured the public that families left out of the initial beneficiary lists could apply through Gram Sabhas or other official channels. “Our promise is clear: every poor family will have a home. We are committed to ensuring this until saturation,” he stated. The housing scheme reintroduces a Congress-era initiative that successfully provided lakhs of homes in previous tenures.
The Rythu Bharosa and Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa schemes further extend economic support to farmers and landless agricultural workers. Under Rythu Bharosa, cultivable landowners receive Rs 12,000 per acre annually, while Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa provides Rs 12,000 annually to landless agricultural workers, directly empowering women in these households. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy highlighted these measures as evidence of the Congress government’s pro-farmer and pro-poor policies, stating, “A state that does not support its farmers and workers fails its people. This government will not allow that.”
The minister acknowledged the legacy of the Congress-led UPA government’s National Food Security Act of 2013, which laid the foundation for this ambitious programme. “The Congress party has always championed the cause of the poor and marginalised. This initiative builds on that legacy and takes it further, reaffirming our commitment to creating a hunger-free Telangana,” he said.
He accused BRS leaders of misleading the public with baseless allegations against the Congress government while failing to deliver during their tenure.
Minister Uttam slammed the previous BRS regime for selectively distributing white ration cards during by-elections, terming it as politically motivated. He affirmed the Congress government’s transparent approach and vowed to extend the benefits of welfare programs to all eligible citizens.
As part of the event, the minister distributed benefits under various welfare schemes to beneficiaries.
