Karimnagar: BC Welfare and Civil Supplies Minister, Gangula Kamalakar informed that distribution of free rice to poor would be started from Sunday. He would launch rice distribution programme in Karimnagar on Sunday, he told newsmen here on Saturday.
He said ten kilograms rice would be provided to each person for the period of five months from July to November. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced five kg rice to each person. However, Telangana government has decided to give ten kg by adding same quantity of rice, he added.
Addressing media, he said that, “Central government has decided to give rice to only food security card holders. However, state government would provide rice to all while ration card holders. About 2.79 crore poor people would get benefit with state government’s decision. Though financial condition of the state was in trouble due to corona pandemic, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has taken the decision to ensure that not a poor person should suffer for meal in the state.”
“With this, per month, there would be an additional burden of Rs 50 crore on the state government. It would be Rs 250 crore per five months. Normally, 1.79 crore metric tons rice was required to distribute to poor every month. Now, it is going to shoot up to 2.89 crore metric tons,” he informed.
Talking about the spread of coronavirus, Kamalakar asked the people to be careful about the virus. Besides personal hygiene, maintaining physical distance and wearing masks were essential when the people went outside. “Instead of scaring about the disease, corona positive patients should be in home quarantine for one week,” minister instructed.
Karimnagar Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor, Challa Swaroopa Rani, her husband Harishankar and their two children were infected by the virus after participating in Haritha Haram programme. On Saturday, they were discharged after undergoing treatment for one week. Minister informed that he was also kept in isolation for one week. MLAs and other public representative in the state have also been infected by covid-19. All of them were doing well after getting treatment.
“If anybody was infected by the virus, positive persons should approach doctors and undergo treatment. There was a possibility of more number of people to infect by the virus if the positive patients were moved on the roads. So, corona patients should stay in isolation for a week,” Kamalakar said.
Karimnagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Y Sunil Rao, Kothapalli Municipality Chairman Rudra Raju and others were present.
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