‘Cong worker is our real strength’

metro india news  I Bhongir

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday praised the commitment and resilience of Congress workers, describing the grassroots cadre as the party’s greatest strength and the vital link between the Congress government’s welfare programmes and the people of Telangana.

Addressing the Political Affairs Committee meeting attended by AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, Ministers Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Adluri Lakshman Kumar, elected representatives and senior party leaders, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Congress workers had stood by the party through difficult political circumstances and their loyalty and sacrifices could not be overlooked.

Recalling his long association with the Congress organisation, including his tenure as TPCC president, he said ordinary workers had defended the party flag even during challenging times. “The Congress worker is our real strength. Governments and positions may come and go, but it is the worker who carries the party flag, stands with the people and keeps the Congress organisation alive at the grassroots,” he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress government had launched a wide range of welfare initiatives, but their full impact could be realised only when the party organisation effectively communicated them to people. He cited free rice, electricity, houses, bus travel and support to farmers as major programmes.

He called upon elected representatives to maintain regular contact with mandal, village and booth-level workers and involve them in taking the government’s welfare message to beneficiaries.

1.06 Crore Smart Ration Cards

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the introduction of around 1.06 crore Smart Ration Cards was another major reform. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy launched their distribution at Sangareddy on August 15.

The QR-code-enabled cards are expected to improve transparency, portability and access to family details. Their portability within Telangana will particularly benefit migrant workers and families moving to Hyderabad and other urban centres. Distribution will take place in phases across constituencies, mandals, villages and Fair Price Shops.

Drinking water priority

On monsoon conditions, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the rainfall deficit required prudent management of available water resources.

He said the government was monitoring rainfall, reservoir storage and inflows and had decided to first secure drinking water requirements for the coming summer before planning irrigation releases.

He urged leaders to sensitise farmers about water availability and encourage pulses, cotton and other less water-intensive crops wherever necessary.

T’gana’s food security fulfils a Cong dream: Meenakshi 

AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan on Monday placed food security and protection of the rights of the poor at the heart of the Congress party’s organisational and political agenda, saying the welfare measures being implemented by the Telangana Government represented the fulfilment of a long-cherished Congress vision of ensuring that no vulnerable family was denied food, shelter, healthcare or democratic rights.

Stating that no genuine voter should be deprived of the right to vote,  she stressed that the poor must continue to enjoy their entitlement to fine rice, Indiramma housing and healthcare under Aarogyasri.

For generations of Congress workers, the battle against hunger and poverty has remained closely associated with Indira Gandhi's “Garibi Hatao” call and her conviction that political democracy had to be accompanied by economic and social justice, she said. 

The Telangana Government's food-security programme carries that philosophy into the present — going beyond merely making grain available to providing quality food with dignity to virtually every eligible poor household. 

The State is now providing six kilograms of fine rice free of cost per person every month to Food Security Card beneficiaries. With the expansion of coverage, around 3.42 crore people under more than 1.06 crore Food Security Cards are covered by the State's food-security network.

Voting & welfare right must be protected

Natarajan warned that disenfranchising genuine voters could have consequences beyond elections and urged Congress workers to remain vigilant. She asked cadres to actively participate in the SIR exercise, verify electoral rolls at the grassroots and help genuine voters complete required procedures. She stressed the role of BLA-2 workers in assisting voters and identifying omissions. Those performing exceptionally in enrolling and protecting genuine voters would be recognised. Natarajan said the exercise would also strengthen the Congress’s booth network and organisational preparedness for the 2028 political battle with the BJP.