The Food Department Government of Tripura has decided to provide mustard oil in public distribution system in the state on the occasion of upcoming Durga Puja.
Along with this initiative has been taken to make the ration shops of the state as model ration shops.
In a press conference Minister of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Sushanta Chowdhury informed about this decision of the Food Department.
In the press conference, the Food Minister said that this is the first time that mustard oil will be provided to the consumers through the ration shop under the initiative of the state government. 9 lakh 70 thousand ration card holders across the state will be given 1 liter of mustard oil per card. This mustard oil will be distributed among the consumers at subsidized price four times a year. Three bidders have been awarded supply orders by the Department for supply of this mustard oil. Three brands of mustard oil, Engine,Emami and Langtarai, will be offered to consumers. Mustard oil tender has been fixed at Rs 128 per litre. However, the state government has decided to give a one-time subsidy of Rs 15 more on this price. Consumers can purchase mustard oil from ration shops at the rate of Rs 113 per liter with subsidy.
In the press conference, the food minister said that this subsidy price may change depending on the decision of the finance department. On the occasion of Durga Puja, this mustard oil will be given to consumers through special canvas bags of the Food Department. Besides mustard oil, the canvas bag will contain 1 kg lentils, 1 kg sugar, 2 kg flour, 500 gm semolina and 500 gm flour for consumers. The price of this canvas bag is Rs 68. 65 . Rs 6 crore 65 lakh will be spent by the department for this canvas bag. This canvas bag will be provided to consumers free of charge.
In the press conference, the Food Minister said that 2,056 ration shops in the state will be equipped and converted into model ration shops as per the policy guidelines of the central government. In the first phase, 600 identified ration shops from 8 districts of the state will be converted into model ration shops. Rs 5000 will be given to the ration shops for this. Rs 30 lakh will be spent by the food department for this. Later all ration shops across the state will be converted into model ration shops in a step by step manner.
The Food Minister also said that it has been decided to give a grant of Rs 2000 to 635 workers under the Food Department on the occasion of the upcoming Sharadotsav.
