Row over ration cards rocks TS assembly, oppon. walk out

Hyderabad, Nov 13: Leaders of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti and opposition parties clashed over confusion on the distribution of ration cards in the state. Heated discussions on the issue rocked the state assembly during Question Hour. Participating in the discussions, Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Chintala Ramchandra Reddy demanded the Telangana governmnet to give a clarity on the distribution of ration cards as there is confusion among people on the issue. Ramchandra Reddy said there were reports that middlemen were demanding Rs 100 to 200 from applicants. He also said poor people were worried that they may lose their ration cards due to lack of clarity in the government policy. Speaking on the issue, Telugu Desam Party leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao questioned the government's logic behind the withdrawal of old ration cards even before the distribution of the new cards. Responding to these statements, Finance Minister Etala Rajender announced that the government has taken a decision to distribute the new ration cards without the involvement of the middlemen. The cards will be distributed by Village Revenue Officers after verifying the applications, he clarified. Stating that rules and regulation on new ration cards have already been announced, the minister said there will not be any connection between the distribution of the ration cards and Aarogya Shree card. He accused the opposition for unnecessarily raking up an issue on the ration cards. Following which, opposition legislators belonging to TDP, BJP, Congress and CPM staged a walk out from the assembly.