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If there is even 1% APL beneficiaries, the govt will definitely look into the issue,” he said.
Uttam said the state govt was positively considering a proposal to expand the PDS beyond the basket of fine rice and include commodities such as wheat and sugar. “The govt is examining the financial implications of supplying additional essential commodities,” he said. Replying to other questions in the council, Uttam said the govt was fully committed to protecting tanks, ponds and other water bodies, safeguarding their FTL boundaries and securing the livelihoods of fishing communities.
On the need to remove above-poverty-line (APL) families holding ration cards and availing themselves of the fine rice benefit under the PDS, Uttam informed the House that the percentage of APL cardholders was negligible. “The intention of the govt is that not a single eligible BPL family should be left out of the ration card and fine rice supply ambit. Hyderabad: Civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday informed the legislative council that a proposal to distribute essential commodities such as edible oil and sugar, in addition to fine rice, through fair price shops under the public distribution system (PDS) was under active consideration by the state govt.
“About 44,000 tanks had been geo-tagged, providing an important database for their monitoring and conservation. In response to another query, Uttam gave a categorical assurance that the Nellikal lift irrigation scheme would be completed in its entirety by Dec 2027, providing irrigation water to an ayacut of about 24,000 acres in Nalgonda district. The irrigation facilities would initially be extended to about 7,800 acres by June 2027, while the remaining 16,000 acres would be covered by Dec 2027. We expect to complete Phase-I even before June 2027. By Dec 2027, we will complete the total project and provide water to the entire 24,000-acre ayacut,” the minister said. The previous govt had released Rs 25.4 crore towards works on the project. The minister said the present govt had so far released Rs 310 crore, reflecting its commitment to accelerating the long-pending project.
Uttam said the govt had already initiated the process of constituting committees for all tanks. The govt would not hesitate to provide additional resources wherever required for the protection of tanks,” he said. “I am completely committed to the protection of our tanks and their FTL boundaries. If there are specific instances where FTLs have been damaged or fishermen have been affected, bring them to my notice and we will act,” the minister assured the House. Members sought a comprehensive policy giving fisheries cooperative societies a greater role in protecting tanks and other water resources. They argued that fishing communities, whose livelihoods were directly linked to healthy water bodies, could serve as effective local custodians by monitoring tanks, protecting stocked fish seed and immediately reporting encroachments or other threats. Such committees had existed in the undivided state, but the system was subsequently discontinued. The move to revive them followed recommendations for better management and protection of water bodies. “Nellikal is a high-priority irrigation project and the govt was closely monitoring its execution. I am giving a categorical assurance to the floor of the House.