15 Dec 2025
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has urged the Union government to replicate the State’s fine rice distribution model under the Public Distribution System (PDS) across the country, citing its success in improving food quality for beneficiaries and stabilising open-market prices.
Interacting with Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi in Hyderabad on Thursday, the Chief Minister said Telangana is the first State in India to distribute fine rice through fair price shops, a move that has significantly reduced the recycling of PDS rice and achieved the objective of providing better-quality rice to economically weaker sections.
Mr. Revanth Reddy said the Centre could consider adopting the Telangana model nationally after due evaluation. Responding to the proposal, Mr. Joshi assured that the Union government would examine the initiative positively and take a decision after a detailed study.
The Chief Minister also placed several operational and financial requests before the Centre. He sought an additional allocation of 10 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice for the Rabi 2024–25 season and the release of ₹1,468 crore towards subsidy for supplying levy rice through the PDS. He further requested the early release of ₹343.27 crore in pending subsidy under the fifth phase of the PMGKY and an extension of the deadline for custom milling of Kharif 2024–25 rice.
Highlighting storage constraints, Mr. Revanth Reddy asked the Centre to help address congestion in FCI godowns by allotting additional railway rakes for boiled rice and supporting an expansion of storage capacity by 15 lakh metric tonnes. He informed the Union Minister that Telangana had recorded its highest-ever kharif production of 148 lakh metric tonnes in 2025–26, and urged the Centre to raise the State’s procurement target to 80 lakh metric tonnes.
In response, Mr. Joshi said the Centre would consider Telangana’s requests in a constructive manner. However, he advised the State to encourage diversification into other rice varieties, noting that demand for boiled rice has been declining nationally. He also suggested exploring export opportunities to manage surplus stocks and ease storage pressures.
Minister for Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy echoed the Chief Minister’s appeal for increasing the procurement target to 80 lakh metric tonnes and assured the Centre that the State would launch special awareness programmes to promote the cultivation of paddy varieties aligned with evolving demand.