Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy Reviews El Nino Impact and Grain Stocks at Secretariat

Telangana Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy held a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the Civil Supplies Department at the Hyderabad Secretariat. He directed officers to take proactive measures to prevent any disruption in ration supplies in Telangana, even if El Nino leads to drought-like conditions or crop losses.

To ensure food security for 3.42 crore beneficiaries dependent on the Public Distribution System (PDS), the state is preparing robust buffer stock plans. The Minister stated that the state requires nearly 2.38 lakh metric tonnes of rice per month for free rice distribution, mid-day meals, and welfare schemes. With current stocks and expected Custom Milling Rice (CMR), total availability will reach 28.03 lakh metric tonnes.

Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy noted that these reserves will comfortably meet the state's requirements for roughly 14 months. He instructed officials to ensure that no rice shortage occurs in the state until September 2027.

Additionally, the government is considering supplying essential commodities such as wheat flour, red gram, palm oil, and sugar at subsidized prices through ration shops to cushion poor families against open-market inflation. Officials were instructed to prepare a financial assessment report to present before the Cabinet soon.