Tripura govt to give 1kg sugar, 2kg flour to 9.83 lakh ration cardholders for free

Agartala: Tripura govt Friday said the 9.83 lakh ration cardholders in the state will get sugar, flour and semolina (suji) free of cost ahead of Durga Puja.
The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Manik Saha a day earlier.
Govt spokesperson Sushanta Chowdhury said, “We have decided to offer 1kg of sugar, 2kg of flour and 500 gram of semolina free to all the ration cardholders a week before Puja begins, and Rs 6.84 crore has already been set aside for the purpose.”
“About 3000MT of sugar has already reached the state and distribution through ration shops has commenced,” he added.These items were previously offered at subsidised rates through PDS, but the govt is making an exception this year.
Chowdhury, who is also the food and supplies minister, said the govt is planning to upgrade the ration cards. The existing paper ration cards will soon be replaced with PVC or smart cards.
“We aim to issue these cards to all ration cardholders under the jurisdiction of Agartala Municipal Corporation by December. In the next three months, we will expand this to the rest of the state for those who have completed their e-KYC,” Chowdhury said.