02/07/2025
In a major relief to thousands of families in Telangana, the state government has announced that the distribution of new ration cards will begin on July 14.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will formally launch the distribution at a large public event in Thungathurthi constituency, where he will hand over new ration cards to around 2 lakh eligible families. This marks the state’s first major ration card issuance in several years.
The Civil Supplies Department, after reviewing applications submitted under various welfare schemes, is finalizing the list of beneficiaries at the district level. The selection process follows the guidelines recommended by a Cabinet sub-committee formed by the Congress government soon after coming to power.
As part of the new system, the ration card will be issued in the name of the female head of the family, and all family members will be listed on the card. Officials are also exploring the rollout of smart ration cards, compact, ATM-sized cards to make it easier for people to access subsidized food grains from any fair price shop in the state.
The launch is linked to the Praja Palana initiative, under which the government had accepted applications for various welfare schemes such as 200 units of free electricity, Rs 500 LPG cylinders, and a monthly stipend of Rs 2,000 for women. A large number of families had applied for new ration cards along with these benefits.
After the CM’s formal launch, ration cards will be distributed across districts under the supervision of respective ministers. The Civil Supplies Department has also prepared multiple design options for the smart cards, which are currently awaiting final approval from the government.
