Hyderabad: About 2 lakh new people will soon be part of the Public Distribution System (PDS) as CM Revanth Reddy plans to distribute new ration cards within the next two weeks.
In this initial phase, over 2 lakh ration cards will be given out. Officials have finalized the list of eligible people after carefully checking applications submitted through MeeSeva centers and the recent Praja Palana initiative. Currently, the state has 2.93 crore beneficiaries, and the total number of ration cards has surpassed 90 lakh. The authorities have received about 2.50 lakh applications for new cards from various sources, including Prajapalana, Gram Sabhas, Prajavani, and Meeseva. Additionally, 8.10 lakh applications have been submitted to add new family members to existing cards.
This move is significant as the state hasn’t issued new ration cards for several years. After the Congress-led government took charge, a cabinet sub-committee was set up to decide the criteria for these new cards. The government also opened applications to add family members to current cards, ensuring strict checks on eligibility.
In a bid to modernize, the government plans to introduce Smart Ration Cards. CM Revanth Reddy announced that these cards will have barcodes and advanced digital features, similar in size and design to ATM cards.
One side of the card will display a photo of CM Revanth Reddy and the Civil Supplies Minister, while the center will feature the Telangana government logo. The final card design is approved and will be revealed soon.
The new card aims to simplify transactions, prevent fraud, and enhance transparency in the Public Distribution System.
