On the eve of Independence Day 2026, the Telangana state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy at the Dr B R Ambedkar State Secretariat, Hyderabad, approved a sweeping set of decisions touching welfare, agriculture, investment, education, and the environment — a signal that the Congress government intends to enter its third year in office with momentum.

3.42 crore beneficiaries, one smart card push

The cabinet's most immediate announcement is a grand distribution of smart ration cards timed to Independence Day celebrations. When the Congress government took office, Telangana had 2.81 crore ration card beneficiaries. Since then, the administration says it has issued new cards to 62 lakh additional people, taking the total to 3.42 crore. The Independence Day event is designed to hand smart cards to all of them — a visible, single-day welfare delivery moment that is hard to miss politically.

Telangana Rising Global Summit 2.0: December 7-9, Invest Telangana theme

The cabinet also resolved to hold the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2.0 on December 7, 8 and 9, 2026, replicating the format of the first edition held in 2024-25. This time the summit will carry the 'Invest Telangana' theme, with a spotlight on defence, aerospace, and pharma — three sectors where the state is positioning itself as a national hub. A flagship concept called Bharat Future City will be unveiled at the summit. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka will lead a sub-committee, supported by ministers D Srinivas, Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Vivek Venkataswamy, alongside a dedicated organising committee.

Paddy surplus goes to e-auction at Rs 2,389 a quintal

In what the cabinet described as a record procurement season, Telangana purchased 81.16 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers at minimum support price during the yasangi (rabi) season — a figure the government calls unprecedented. Of this, the central government will procure 63.62 lakh MT; the remaining 17.54 lakh MT will be sold through e-auction at a base price of Rs 2,389 per quintal, a model the state has already piloted successfully with maize. The cabinet also decided to promote seven specific varieties of fine-grain paddy for the upcoming vanakalam (kharif) season, with awareness programmes for farmers.

Rs 200 crore to electrify Hyderabad's auto fleet

Hyderabad's 18,766 petrol and diesel auto-rickshaws are in the government's crosshairs. The cabinet approved the Telangana Auto Rickshaw Electric Conversion Scheme with a corpus of Rs 200 crore, offering eligible drivers a subsidy of up to Rs 1.5 lakh per vehicle. Drivers can either retrofit an electric kit onto their existing auto or scrap the old vehicle and buy a new electric one. The scheme sits within the broader CURE framework — the state's pollution-control initiative aimed at making Hyderabad a green city. Separately, the deadline to apply under the HILT Policy — which relocates polluting industries from the city to its outskirts — has been extended by three months to October 31.

ITIs, polytechnics fold into Young India Skills University

All ITIs, ATCs, and polytechnic colleges in the state, currently under the Industries Department, will be transferred to the Young India Skills University and placed under the Energy Department. The cabinet also greenlit construction of Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS) in seven new constituencies: Adilabad, Nirmal, Muthol, Both, Sirpur, Gajwel, and Dubbak. Across the first phase, 113 constituencies were targeted for YIIRS complexes; approvals have so far been granted for 86.

Rs 2,100 crore lift irrigation and pumped storage plans

The cabinet approved Rs 2,100 crore for Phase-II of the Makthal-Narayanpet-Kodangal Lift Irrigation Project, which is expected to bring irrigation water to nearly one lakh acres while also meeting drinking water and industrial needs in the region. On the energy side, the cabinet cleared the appointment of a consultant to study expanding the Goudendoddi Pumped Storage Project from 1.19 TMC to 15 TMC and integrating solar power generation.

Thirteen decisions in a single sitting, announced on the eve of a national holiday — the Revanth Reddy cabinet has set the terms of its Independence Day message. Whether the delivery matches the ambition will be the test that follows.