Food Minister announces puja bonanza for consumers

Agartala, Sep 27, 2025, By Our Correspondent

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Saturday said that the department would continue its tradition of providing essential food items free of cost to all beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System (PDS) during the festive season.“As in previous years, the government will distribute semolina, refined flour (maida), and sugar to ensure households can prepare sweet dishes for the celebrations,” he said. According to the Minister, each family will be entitled to receive 500 grams of semolina, 2 kilograms of refined flour, and 1 kilogram of sugar. These items will be available at the nearest fair price shop for all 9.90 lakh beneficiaries.The Minister further explained that, to meet the demand, the government had to procure a total of 1982 MT of refined flour, 469 MT of semolina, and 990 MT of sugar. The total expenditure for these supplies amounts to Rs 7 crore, a slight increase from the previous year, when Rs 5.69 crore was spent.Breaking down the figures, the Minister highlighted that the cost of semolina has risen from Rs 0.59 crore last year to Rs 0.65 crore this year. Similarly, the cost of refined flour has increased from Rs 2.40 crore to Rs 2.58 crore. Sugar costs have seen a notable increase, jumping from Rs 2.70 crore last year to Rs 3.17 crore this year. Additionally, Rs 0.60 crore has been allocated for transportation and labor costs associated with the distribution process