Launching the Fine Rice Distribution Scheme in Huzurabad, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy launched a broadside against KCR and his government.
Published Mar 31, 2025 | 10:13 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 31, 2025 | 10:13 AM
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy launches the Fine Rice Distribution Scheme
Synopsis: While launching the government’s Fine Rice Distribution Scheme in Nalgonda that would add to food security, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy came down heavily on the previous BRS regime for allegedly discouraging farmers from engaging in paddy cultivation.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to ensuring food security, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy launched the Fine Rice Distribution Scheme in Huzurabad, Nalgonda District, on Sunday, March 30, on the occasion of Ugadi, the Telugu New Year.
The scheme aims to provide nutritious food to the poor and ensure food security across the state. Addressing a large gathering, Revanth Reddy highlighted the initiative’s significance, calling it a landmark step in Telangana’s welfare policies.
“To provide stable food to the poor, former chief minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy launched ₹1 per kg of rice. Subsequently, former chief minister NT Rama Rao also launched a ₹2 per kg rice scheme in 1983,” he told the gathering.
“Senior leader from Nalgonda, K Jana Reddy, played a key role in launching the highly subsidized rice distribution scheme for the poor. Former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru launched ration shops in the country in 1957,” Revanth Reddy explained.
The chief minister emphasized the large-scale cultivation of paddy in the Nalgonda district.
“Paddy is being cultivated in 12 lakh acres in Nalgonda. Huge stocks of paddy worth ₹21,000 crore piled up in the rice mills during the term of the previous government,” he stated.
He also highlighted irregularities in the sale of coarse rice. “Millers are buying coarse rice at ₹10 per kg from ration shops and selling it to the government at ₹30. Poorer sections are not consuming coarse rice, and instead, the rice is being exploited by middlemen and brokers.”
The chief minister reiterated his government’s commitment to ensuring food security. “We decided in the Cabinet to distribute 6 kg of fine rice (sanna biyyam) to each poor individual. The main objective of the Fine Rice Distribution Scheme is to provide nutritious food to every poor person in the state,” he stated.
He further assured farmers of the government’s support. “Our government is buying every single grain grown by poor farmers. We are giving a bonus of ₹500 per quintal to farmers who cultivate a fine variety of paddy. Nalgonda farmers received the highest bonus on paddy.”
He further announced, “The government will distribute fine rice to 3 crore people and deposit money in farmers’ accounts within three days of purchasing paddy.” he affirmed.
“The Fine Rice Distribution Scheme is not a micro scheme. No chief minister will scrap the prestigious scheme in the future,” he noted.
While assuring that future chief ministers would not discontinue the scheme, Revanth Reddy criticised former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the BRS regime.
He questioned the Opposition leader’s claims of having read 80,000 books and being knowledgeable about society. “If he was so aware, why didn’t he introduce a fine rice distribution scheme for the poor?” he asked.
He accused KCR of discouraging farmers from paddy cultivation. “The Opposition leader warned farmers of dire consequences, even suggesting they might hang themselves if they sowed paddy crops. Yet, the same leader cultivated paddy in 1,000 acres and sold it at ₹4,500 per quintal. No one purchased paddy from Dalits and Tribals under the last government,” he accused.
The chief minister further accused KCR of neglecting irrigation projects, particularly the Sreesailam Left Bank Tunnel.
“KCR abandoned the SLBC Tunnel project during his 10-year regime out of anger against Nalgonda farmers,” he alleged. “If the previous government had dug just one kilometer per year, the project would have been completed. But it was neglected. My government has now taken up the task of completing all pending projects,” he stated.
Revanth Reddy also alleged financial mismanagement in the Kaleshwaram project. “KCR swindled ₹1 lakh crore in three years and built the Kaleshwaram project. It is not wrong to hang KCR for constructing a collapsed project by spending ₹1 lakh crore,” he stated.
He noted that despite the project remaining non-functional, Telangana had a record year in paddy production.
Telangana emerged as the top paddy-producing state in India in 2024, retaining its position for the second consecutive year. The state recorded an all-time high production of 153 lakh metric tonnes during the Kharif and Rabi seasons, marking a new milestone in agricultural output.
Agriculture scientists credited this success to favorable monsoon conditions and enhanced irrigation facilities across the state.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also played a vital role by introducing high-yield rice varieties such as KNM 118, JJL 1738, and Superfine RNR 8718, significantly boosting production levels.
Additionally, Telangana’s reputation as a national seed hub and strong market demand for paddy further encouraged farmers to cultivate the crop. These combined factors have made paddy a lucrative and preferred choice for farmers in the state, solidifying Telangana’s dominance in rice production.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
