Agartala, Oct 9: In anticipation of the upcoming Durga Puja festivities, the Tripura Food and Civil Supplies minister, Sushanta Chowdhury, announced on Monday that the state government has initiated a unique initiative to distribute essential food items in a biodegradable canvas bag as a special subsidized gift to all ration card consumers through 2056 fair price shops (FPSs).

The festive ration kit will include one litre of mustard oil, one kg of lentil pulses, 2 kg of flour, 1 kg of sugar, 500 grams of rava, and atta.

The food department is also considering providing an additional subsidy of Rs. 15, aiming to ease the burden on consumers during the festive season.

Minister Chowdhury explained that the entire ration kit would be packaged in eco-friendly canvas bags, with the mustard oil available at an unprecedented price of Rs. 113 per liter, marking a significant step towards fulfilling the government’s commitment to providing essential food and daily necessities to the people.

Out of the nine lakh canvas bags procured by the state government for distributing PDS goods, 3.58 lakh bags have already reached the state, while over 5 lakh bags are en route.

Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha is set to launch this novel initiative, distributing one litre of mustard oil to each of the 9.70 ration card holders starting from Tuesday.

The mustard oil will be sourced from three different brands: Engine, Imami, and Longtharai, a local Tripura brand, all selected through an open tender process. This subsidized mustard oil supply, available four times a year during festive seasons, fulfills one of the BJP’s promises ahead of the general assembly elections this year.

Shifting focus to improving the state’s ration shops, Minister Chowdhury revealed plans to modernize and transform them into model ration shops.

Out of the 2056 shops spread across eight districts, 600 will be renovated and upgraded. The Chief Minister will inaugurate these model shops tomorrow, with a financial boost of Rs. 5000 provided from the food department’s cash credit to enhance the appearance of the fair price outlets, incurring a cost of Rs. 30 lakh for the state government.

Furthermore, the minister announced a special ex gratia payment of Rs. 2000 to 635 laborers engaged in loading, unloading, and other essential tasks under the food and civil supplies department during the puja festival. This initiative, costing Rs. 12.70 lakhs, will ensure accountability by distributing the funds through cheques.

Meanwhile, a report from the Food and Civil Supplies Department confirmed that Tripura currently maintains sufficient food stock, including a 96-day rice buffer stock, 49-day wheat stock, 57-day sugar stock, 59-day lentil pulses stock, 12-day salt buffer stock, 11-day petrol stock, 7-day diesel buffer stock, and a 5-day kerosene oil stock.

Additionally, the department has published a booklet on safeguarding food security and consumer rights, highlighting the journey of progress in this regard.

Also Read: KHADC seeks World Bank aid for permanent solution to solid waste management

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