Just weeks before the greatest festivities of Durga Puja, Tripura government has decided to provide a special subsidized ‘gift hamper’ bag to all all ration card holders of the state from Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat on Monday afternoon Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury accompanied by Director of Food department Nirmal Adhikari said that the gift hamper will contain one litre of mustard oil, one kg lentil, 2 kg flour, 1 kg sugar, 500 gram atta.

He said that for the first time, the Tripura government has been introducing subsidized mustard oil in all ration shops across the state. Chowdhury said that before last assembly elections, they had committed the people to give subsidized mustard oil in all ration and now, the government has fulfilled the commitment, which will be sold at a special price of Rs 113 per litre.

The Minister said that the Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha through a programme at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala will launch the special subsidized ‘gift hamper’ bag to all ration card holders on Tuesday and Chief Minister will also given ex-gratia to labourers of Food department.

Earlier, it was decided that the ration shops would sell mustard oil at Rs 128 per litre but the department later provided an additional Rs 15 subsidy for per litre. Three renowned brands of mustard oil including the Engine, Emami and state’s brand Longtharai have given the right supply of mustard oil.

Chowdhury said that all these items will be provided in a biodegradable canvas bag. Till now, 3.58 lakh bags have reached the state out of a total nine lakh bags required for the implementation of the scheme. At present, the state has 9.70 lakh ration card holders.

Moreover, subsidised mustard oil will be provided to ration card holders four times in a year.

Meanwhile, the minister said as per the directive of the central government all ration shops in the state will be given a makeover and turned into model ration shops. In the first phase, 600 out of a total of 2,056 shops in eight districts will be transformed into model ration shops. The Food department will give Rs 5,000 to each ration shop owner from the Food department’s own cash credit for their facelift. The move would cost the state exchequer Rs 30 lakh.

Chowdhury also said  all 35 labourers engaged in loading, unloading and other basic tasks under the Food and Civil Supplies department will be given an ex gratia amount of Rs 2,000 this year.

Chowdhury also added that  Food and Civil Supplies department  has now adequate stock of all essential food items  including 96 days of buffer rice stock, 49 days of wheat stock, 57 days of sugar stock, 59 days of lentil stock, 12 days of salt buffer stock, and 11 days of petrol stock and five days of diesel.

The department has also published a booklet, ‘A Journey of Progress’, on safeguarding food security and consumer rights and the Chief Minister will also unveil the booklet on Tuesday .