Hyderabad – The process of issuing new ration cards and updating old ones in Telangana is facing serious delays due to data mismatches and verification issues.
The state government has started distributing Sanna Biyyam (fine rice) under the Public Distribution System (PDS). As a result, many people are applying for new ration cards. However, problems with different databases are slowing down the process of approving nearly 30 lakh new applications.
Currently, Telangana has over 90 lakh active ration cards, covering around 2.93 crore people. Officials are reviewing applications from various sources, including those submitted during Praja Palana, Gram Sabhas, Prajavani, and Meeseva. They are also checking older data from 2018 and the recent caste survey to verify eligibility.
So far, officials have only managed to issue 32,000 new cards, despite receiving about 2.5 lakh new applications. Additionally, there are over 8.1 lakh requests to add new family members to existing cards.
Government sources say they are being cautious to avoid repeating the mistakes made by the previous administration. They are also working to remove ineligible names from the list to ensure only qualified individuals receive benefits.
Since the launch of the fine rice distribution in April, nearly 90% of registered beneficiaries have collected their share. Ration shops have been crowded daily, and officials expect the number of recipients to increase further in the coming months.
