HYDERABAD: Irrigation and civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the state was planning to strengthen its foodgrain buffer to protect 3.42 crore people dependent on the PDS against possible drought, crop losses and rising food prices amid the anticipated El Niño impact. He said essential commodities, including wheat flour, were under consideration for distribution through the PDS.
At a high‑level review meeting in his Secretariat chambers, he directed officials to plan procurement and stock management well in advance to ensure uninterrupted supplies even if the next agricultural seasons are affected by deficient rainfall. Reviewing rice stocks and procurement plans, he stressed that Telangana should be prepared for adverse seasonal conditions rather than depend entirely on the success of the forthcoming paddy harvest.
The minister said Telangana requires about 2.38 lakh metric tonnes of rice every month, amounting to 28.56 lakh metric tonnes annually, to meet the combined requirements of the Central Pool PDS, other welfare schemes and the state pool, including the mid‑day meal programme.
As of October 16, the civil supplies department’s stock position showed 9.64 lakh metric tonnes of rice in buffer godowns — 3.50 lakh metric tonnes under the Central Pool and OWS, and 6.14 lakh metric tonnes under the state pool. A further 18.39 lakh metric tonnes of pending custom‑milled rice deliveries were awaited.
With existing stocks and pending receipts taken together, availability was estimated at 28.03 lakh metric tonnes, sufficient to meet combined requirements for about 11.7 months, up to September 2027. The minister emphasised the need to ensure that quantities expected from millers and other sources reach government stocks on schedule, noting that the position provides a cushion for another five months.
He also examined the possibility of providing selected essential commodities through the PDS to cushion households against potential price increases. Items considered included wheat flour, red gram, palm oil, sugar, tamarind and chilli powder. Officials were asked to work out per‑beneficiary quantities, procurement arrangements and financial burden before placing the proposal for a decision.
Civil supplies commissioner Stephen Ravindra and senior officials took part in the review.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
