Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said that the fine rice distribution programme has been undertaken in the entire State to provide complete food security to all the poor and needy people below the poverty line.

The Minister on Wednesday visited a fine rice scheme beneficiary Vasam Musalayya, a family member of the ST Koya tribe, in Subbampet village of Cherla mandal and ated dishes prepared with the fine rice.

The Minister said that the joy of the family and the people of the village knew no bounds when he came to dine at his house. The poor tribal family served rice along with pulihora, organically grown thokura pappu, gongura chutney and other food items to the Minister.

The Minister congratulated the family members and said that the rice distribution programme was started from the Ugadi festival to provide food security to all the poor.

“The rice distribution is getting a good response from the people, and we are making the people a part of this historic event, and more than 80 percent of the poor, weak, Dalit, tribal and minority poor people are benefiting,” he said.

Later Minister Ponguleti participated in a number of development programmes in Dummagudem, Bhadrachalam mandals.

Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkat Rao, PA PC Chairman Ravi Kumar, District Collector Jitesh V Patil, ITDA PO B Rahul, RDO Damodar Rao, former MLC Balasani Lakshminarayana, Housing PD Shankar, Tahsildar Srinivas, MP O Mastan Ali, and other departmental officers and staff participated in this

programme.