The Minister issued a strict warning to millers and traders against illegal hoarding, black marketing, and overpricing of essential commodities

By Newsmeter Network

Hyderabad: Reviewing price-control measures with senior officials in Hyderabad, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday announced a fixed price ceiling of Rs 66 per kg for commonly consumed BPT rice.

The Minister issued a strict warning to millers and traders against illegal hoarding, black marketing, and overpricing of essential commodities.

‘No profiteering at the cost of consumers’

Prices for RNR rice will be evaluated separately, factoring in quality variations and production costs.

“The government will not tolerate profiteering at the expense of consumers, and enforcement operations will continue until the market stabilises,” the Minister stated, making it clear that stringent legal action awaits violators.

Multi-department raids and crackdown

To enforce compliance, the Civil Supplies Department has launched coordinated raids involving five distinct administrative wings: Civil Supplies, Police, GST, Legal Metrology, and local enforcement authorities.

Intensive inspections have already covered major wholesale trading hubs, including Begum Bazaar, Nampally, and Maharajgunj, spanning Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. Authorities have registered 12 cases against errant rice traders for irregularities such as illegal stockpiling and inflated pricing.

Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra briefed the Minister on the ongoing enforcement drive, alongside Director of Civil Supplies Shyam Prasad Lal and other senior officials.

Adequate stocks available

Addressing public concerns over market volatility, Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy assured citizens that Telangana maintains comfortable and sufficient rice stocks, urging consumers not to panic-buy or hoard supplies.

He also encouraged PDS beneficiaries to make full use of the fine-quality rice distributed through fair-price shops, noting that the grain is procured directly from local farmers and milled within the state. While the administration has promised to support genuine traders and millers, the crackdown on unfair trade practices will persist across all districts.

What are the rice prices in Hyderabad?

In the open market, premium rice was sold at Rs 90 to Rs 105 per kg. The rice hoarding and supply shifts were creating a major panic in the market, with many people buying rice in bulk, fearing further increases in price.

For that reason, the government ceiling of Rs 66 per kg for BPT rice varieties is being seen as an attempt to curb black marketing and stop people from hoarding.

Published Date: October 31, 2026