Eye on panchayat polls, Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy to launch smart ration cards with QR code; 40 lakh people to benefit | Hyderabad News

HYDERABAD: Ahead of the panchayat elections expected to be held in Aug, chief minister A Revanth Reddy will formally launch new smart ration cards at a public meeting in the Thungathurthy assembly constituency of the combined Nalgonda district on July 14. He will also unveil the new design of the ration cards with a QR code on the occasion. Civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday said all arrangements are being made for the public meeting.Through these new ration cards, 40 lakh members would avail themselves of fine rice from fair price shops. However, due to a case pending in the high court over printing of new ration cards with a QR code, the CM would distribute authorisation letters to the beneficiaries, allowing them to draw fine rice from ration shops and avail themselves of other benefits like Aarogyasri, fee reimbursement, 500 gas cylinder, and 200 units free electricity scheme.

The ministers and MLAs would distribute these ration card letters in their respective constituencies from July 15. Over 15 lakh applications for new ration cards were submitted during both the previous and incumbent govts. After scrutiny, the govt had approved the issuance of 4.43 lakh new ration cards this year. Though the Congress govt started issuing ration cards and including new members in the existing cards, sources said the formal launch by the CM is in view of the forthcoming elections to the rural and urban local bodies in the state.The govt has proposed to come out with two types of cards, one white and another pink. The first category is for people below the poverty line. Civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy also announced plans to delink ration cards for eligibility to the 10 lakh Aarogyasri scheme, but this is yet to be done. “The new ration cards with QR codes having special security features are going to be the size of a driving licence card. But a printer went to court over a proposed order for printing the new cards, due to which the printing process has been stalled,” govt sources said.“The new ration cards will be issued in the name of the woman head of the family, and all family members will be listed on the card. The pending case of printing new ration cards is coming up for hearing in the court on July 7. The govt is trying to get the stay vacated, and if it is done, at least some smart cards will be printed so that the CM will distribute them at the public meeting,” a senior official said.