Harish Rao suggests govt. to sell rice lying in godowns to pay ration dealers’ dues

BRS leader T. Harish Rao speaking at a ration shop dealers’ meet at Pragnapur near Gajwel on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: By Arrangement

HYDERABAD

Former Minister and Deputy Floor Leader of BRS T. Harish Rao has alleged that the Congress Government has pushed the Civil Supplies Corporation into ₹1 lakh crore debt and ₹600 crore worth of rice has been left to rats.

Speaking at a State Ration Shop Dealers’ Meeting held at Pragnapur near Gajwel on Tuesday, he said the state of affairs in the present government could be guessed with a statement of a ruling party MLA (from Jadcherla) J. Anirudh Reddy who openly stated that he was ready to die if “that is what it takes to get my constituency’s pending bills cleared”.

He stated that ₹600 crore worth of coarse varieties of rice was lying in godowns and shops for the last 16 months and it was now full of weevils and was being eaten by rats and bandicoots. He suggested the government at least sell it to clear the bills of ration dealers.

There was money for a ₹100 crore camp office for the Chief Minister, ₹18 crore for its compound wall and ample funds for beauty contests and football shows. However, the government had no money to pay ₹10 crore a month for 17,200 dealers as their commission.

He pointed out that the Congress party had promised ₹5,000 a month honorarium to ration shop dealers, but it had not come their way even three years after the party had come to power.

President of the ration dealers’ body Naikoti Raju said at the meeting that he was ready to give up his life to get the dues cleared from the government.

Patancheru MLA Guddem Mahipal Reddy, honorary state president of the dealers’ association, MLC Yadava Reddy, former FDC chairman Vanteru Pratap Reddy, association general secretaries Srikanth, Dharavath Mohan Naik and Azeez and others participated in the meeting.

Published - October 27, 2026 09:48 pm IST