Hyderabad Ration Card Distribution Starts July 14
Starting July 14, officials in Greater Hyderabad will begin giving out new ration cards. District Civil Supplies Officer Srinivas says 29,487 people across nine circles in Hyderabad will get cards in the first batch. Only those with verified applications will receive cards on that date. The process of applying, verifying, and distributing will continue over time. Those with new cards can begin receiving rations by September. Distributions will also occur in Ranga Reddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts.
Over 1 Lakh New Cards Expected This Year
Hyderabad has already seen 2.5 lakh applications for ration cards. Each day, 5,000 to 6,000 new applications are being submitted at Meeseva centers. Applications are first checked by Assistant Supply Officers (ASOs). Then, Revenue Inspectors (RIs) verify details at applicants’ addresses. After verification, ASOs send their reports to the District Supply Officer (DSO), and final approvals come from the Chief Rationing Officer (CRO). Currently, there are 6,39,451 active cards in Hyderabad. Officials predict over one lakh new cards will be issued within a year.
Delays Due to Staff Shortage
The Civil Supplies Department faces challenges due to insufficient staff for verifying applications. Thousands of applications arrive daily, but there aren’t enough officers for quick verification. To help, the department has asked for support from the Municipal and Revenue departments. More officers should join by the end of the month. Up to now, only about 10% of the 2.5 lakh applications have been verified. Since new card-based rations won’t start for two months, the department aims to speed up verification during this time.
