Sugar to be subsidised for ration card holders

Mumbai: The state government has declared it would start the implementation of the Antyoday Anna Yojana as per the Central government’s directions.

Also, to give relief to the sugar industry, the state government has declared it would provide one kilo of sugar at the rate of Rs 20 per kg to the families of 1,23,00,000 lakh ration card holders. The state government has also issued strict orders to stop adulteration in milk products ahead of Diwali.

The state’s sugar mills are facing problems of excess production of sugar. Also, the current season of sugarcane crushing will start in the next fifteen days. In the current situation, the sugar industry demanded that the state government should introduce sugar to ration shops at a lower price.

“We have decided that 1, 22,947 quintals of sugar worth Rs 39 crore will be given to rationing shops. The 1,23,00,000 ration card holders will get this sugar at Rs 20 per kg per family,” said Mr Girish Bapat, the state’s food and civil supply minister.

He also said that the Centre’s Antyoday Ann Yojana would be implemented in Maharashtra by November 2018. “As the Centre is providing subsidy on chana dal and urad dal we will pass it on to the state’s ration card holders. Around 7,00,16,000 are expected to get the benefits,” Mr Bapat said.  

Talking about the possibility of adulteration increasing during Diwa-li, Mr Bapat said that his department was taking strict measures. “Action is being taken all over state. Our officers have seized adulterated products such as barfi, mawa and oil. The cost of the seized items is around Rs 3 crore,” said Mr Bapat.