Telangana has transformed into rice bowl of India, claims CM KCR

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has greeted people in the state on the occasion of World Food Safety Day today.

The Chief Minister recalled the efforts put in by the state government to turn Telangana into a rice bowl in the Country (Annapurna) from a region, which faced famine and starvation under the united AP rule.

CM KCR said that measures taken by the government in supplying nutritious meat, eggs and fish to people have yielded good results. The state government is implementing Sheep rearing schemes and encouraging the production of fruits and vegetables. With these efforts, people in the state are getting food, which is safe and secured. He said the government is waging a war against all the adulteration of the food items. The government is dealing with a stern hand against the spurious seeds, fertilizers and pesticides thereby ensuring safe food grains.

He said keeping in view the increase in diabetes, the state government has prepared Telangana Sona variety of rice and cultivation of this rice variety is encouraged all over the State. And the government is taking every step for the health and wellbeing of people.

The Chief Minister said that within a short span of time, Telangana state was able to create two crore fertile lands which are giving two crops. The State stood first in the production by producing 3 Crore metric tonnes of food grains. The CM expressed happiness over the State not only reaching the food security but became a source for the country for its food security. It is a moment of pride for the State, which was able to become no 1 in the Paddy production by completing all major irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, reviving and restoring tanks under Mission Kakatiya programme. The CM said even during the Corona pandemic times, the crops cultivated by Telangana farmers have provided food security to the country.

He said in Telangana state, the government has introduced several welfare schemes at a cost of Rs 45,000 Crore providing welfare, food, social and life security.

In order to provide food security and ensure that no one goes hungry, each person is given 6 Kgs of rice in every family through Food Security Card (Ration Card). Of the total 87,41,000 ration card-holding families, 2,79,27,000 (72 per cent of the state's population) are given 20 Lakh MT of rice at Rupee one per Kg per year. For this, the state government is bearing Rs 28.24 per Kg, i.e., Rs 2,088 Crore subsidy. The CM said fine quality rice is given to the students.

The CM also said that Ration Card Portability was created so that ration cardholders can draw their ration anywhere in the State and this had provided total food security to the needy.