Hyderabad: The Congress party is excited about the success of the Sanna Biyyam scheme, which has achieved 95% distribution for three months of ration in June, July, and August. They are using this achievement to boost their campaign for the upcoming local elections. The number of people receiving ration in the state has now reached 3.14 crore.
Party insiders say the Congress government earned praise for continuing the scheme despite financial challenges. They plan to leverage this success to win many local seats, like sarpanches and MPPs, in the elections. The bold decision to implement the Sanna Biyyam scheme is seen as a key factor for success in these polls.
The state used to spend Rs 5,175 crore annually on coarse rice. The Sanna Biyyam scheme added another Rs 3,000 crore to the budget. In April, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy launched the scheme in the Huzurnagar constituency.
When the Central government announced that beneficiaries would receive three months of rice at once, it further boosted the Congress government’s standing. The number of ration beneficiaries increased from 2.84 crore under the previous government to 3.14 crore now, with 91 lakh cards previously issued. After taking power, the Congress government began processing new applications, approving 10 lakh new ration cards and 16 lakh for adding family members.
Congress leaders believe that if at least 70% of these beneficiaries support them in the local elections, they could secure 25 to 28 chairmen positions in 32 Zilla Parishads. They are also criticizing BRS, claiming the party neglected the Public Distribution System (PDS) and failed to issue new ration cards during its decade-long rule.
In contrast, the Congress government has approved 2.50 lakh new cards since taking office. With strong public support, Congress leaders in villages are promoting the Sanna Biyyam scheme and promising more welfare programs if they win the local elections.
