K M Dayashankar
The projected population of Telangana state is 3.87 crore in the year 2026. But a record 85 percent population comes in the BPL category with the issuance of ration cards
Only 44 lakh people in Telangana state are in the Above Poverty Line (APL) category, and 3.43 crore population comes under the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category
It is evident that the majority of beneficiaries of the ration cards are selling away the rice collected from PDS to the small-time traders, who visit daily in various localities
As per the World Bank’s per capita income (PCI) benchmark, the Telangana state has entered the ‘upper-middle-income’ category
How can the Telangana government claim it is a rising state when it has so many people living in BPL category?
It is time for the Telangana government to weed out bogus ration cards and ensure that only real beneficiaries secure the benefits of Food security cards
KARIMNAGAR, AUGUST 21, 2026: Is Telangana a poorer state in the country as it has issued a record number of 1.6 crore white ration cards (food security cards) covering 3.43 crore beneficiaries?
As of mid-2026, the population of Telangana state is projected to be approximately 3.87 crore. But the government has issued a record number of ration cards covering 3.43 crore beneficiaries, leaving only 44 lakh people as the upper-middle class and rich people in Telangana state.
As per World Bank’s per capita income (PCI) benchmark, Telangana state has entered the ‘upper-middle-income’ category, emerging as one of only five Indian states to cross the threshold. The milestone reflected the State’s sustained economic expansion.
According to the latest estimates, Telangana’s per capita income for 2025-26 stands at Rs 4,18,931 (about USD 5,407), placing it third behind Delhi (USD 6,217) and Karnataka (USD 5,579), while remaining ahead of Tamil Nadu (USD 5,329) and Gujarat (USD 4,734). The World Bank classifies economies with PCI between USD 4,636 and USD 14,375 as upper-middle income.
Within Telangana, Ranga Reddy district recorded the highest per capita income at Rs 11.29 lakh, followed by Hyderabad at Rs 4.77 lakh. But Telangana is still a poor state. Thanks to the issuance of ration cards covering 3.43 crore.
In Telangana state, a white ration card (Food security card) is granted based on specific income limits. In rural areas, the annual income must be up to Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh per annum in urban areas.
Whereas New Delhi, which has a population of 3.5 crore, has only 17.78 lakh ration cards with an income limit of Rs 2.5 lakh per annum for securing a ration card. The Bihar state is having 1.79 crore ration cards covering 8.1 crore beneficiaries, while the population of the state is 13.29 crore.
Reacting to the World Bank statistics recently, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the state has been achieving new milestones since the Congress came to power in December 2023.
Taking to X, Revanth said, “We are India’s top-performing state. Our per capita income for this year (2025-26) is Rs 4,18,931 per person, an increase from Rs 3,80,031 in the last year. We grew by 10.23 per cent in a single year, an increase of Rs 38,900.”
He attributed the achievement to policy-driven governance, economic growth, investments and job creation, saying the government’s focus on regular reviews and stakeholder engagement had replaced a decade of “poor governance” with optimism. He said women, farmers and youth had benefited the most, and voiced confidence in Telangana’s continued growth.
On one hand, the government claims Telangana is the fifth richest state in the country in terms of per capita income, and, on the other hand, it had attained the dubious distinction of remaining a poor state with 85 per cent of the population coming under the BPL category as they were beneficiaries of ration cards (food security cards). It is time for the government to weed out the bogus and fake ration cards to save the state’s exchequer and benefit the real beneficiaries through food security cards.
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