Telangana to Issue New Ration Cards After Elections; Applications Now Open

Government to Process New Ration Card Applications Post Elections to Benefit Eligible Families in Telangana

Telangana to Issue New Ration Cards After Elections; Applications Now Open

Hyderabad: While MeeSeva centers in Telangana have started accepting applications for new ration cards, the issuance of these cards will only take place after the elections due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The MCC is currently in effect for the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates’ and Teachers’ Constituency elections scheduled for February 27. The tenure of the current MLCs, T Jeevan Reddy and Kura Raghotham Reddy, is set to end on March 29.

Ration Cards to be Issued Post MCC

The Telangana government has stated that new ration cards will be issued only after the MCC is lifted. In the meantime, applications will continue to be processed, and beneficiaries can apply for new cards or request modifications to existing ones.

MeeSeva Centers Warned Against Charging Fees for Forms

There have been reports of MeeSeva centers charging fees for application forms, despite government directives stating that the forms should be provided free of cost. Authorities have urged citizens to report any such incidents to the police.

Who Can Apply and the Verification Process

Individuals who have already applied through the Praja Palana and Prajavani programs do not need to reapply, as their applications are still being processed.

Applications will undergo a thorough verification process:

Field verification by the Deputy Tahsildar of the Civil Supplies Department
Processing through the Mandal Revenue Officer and District Civil Supplies Officer
Final approval from the Commissioner of the Civil Supplies Department

6.68 Lakh Families Identified for Ration Cards

The Telangana government has identified 6.68 lakh underprivileged families eligible for new ration cards, covering a total of 11,65,052 individuals. The list has been sent to district representatives, and objections will be invited in Gram and Basti Sabhas from January 20 to 24. The final list is expected to be confirmed by January 26.

Ration Cards Linked to Key Government Schemes

Issuing these ration cards will enable beneficiaries to access several Congress government welfare schemes, including:

Aarogyasri health coverage
200 units of free electricity
Rs 500 LPG gas cylinders
Fee reimbursement for students

District-Wise Beneficiary Data

Preliminary data from the Comprehensive Family Survey (CFS) conducted in November 2023 indicates that Hyderabad has the highest number of eligible families (83,285 families), while Vanaparthi district has the lowest (6,647 families).

So far, 30,000 applications have been received.