Maharashtra government to provide discounted food packets to 1.7 crore families for month
Mumbai: Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election, the Eknath Shinde-led government has decided to provide Anandacha Shidha (food of joy) kit to ration card holders across the state. The Kit contains one litre of Soybean oil and one kg each of Sugar, Chana dal, Rava (semolina) — worth around Rs 239. It will be distributed from PDS shops at a concessional rate of Rs 100. The food and civil supply department will spend Rs 562.51 crore for this.
Named after Mr. Shinde’s mentor late Anand Dighe,the Kit will be distributed from August 15 to September 15.The decision was taken in a recently held cabinet meeting, which was chaired by the CM. The food and civil supply department has issued a GR (government resolution) in this regard.
According to the GR, ‘Anandacha Shidha’ kit will also be provided to the ration card holders on the occasion of the festival of Gauri-Ganpati (Ganesh Chaturthi) which is the biggest festival of Maharashtra. “1,70, 82,086 ration card holders including those above poverty line as well as orange card holders (BPL) in 14 districts which have witnessed farmer suicides, will be provided the foods of joy kits from August 15 to September 15,” the GR said .
An official from the food and civil supply department said that they would spend Rs 543.21 crore on the procurement of the kit, while Rs 19.3 crore will be spent on the transportation and other ancillary works. Thus, a total of Rs 562.51 crore has been approved for the scheme.
Since Shiv Sena-BJP government came into Power two years ago, the food and civil supply department has been giving the food kits to ration card holders ahead of almost every major festival.
In November 2022, the Shinde government gave the kit to orange and saffron ration card holders at a concessional rate of Rs 100 on the occasion of Diwali. In 2023, similar kits were distributed for Gudi Padwa, Dr. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, Ganesh Festival, and Diwali. Ahead of the Lok Sabha election , the kits were also distributed among the ration card holders during the consecration ceremony of the Sri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January 2024.
The government has expedited the tender process, reducing it from 21 days to eight days to ensure timely delivery. “The kit will be available at ration shops from August 15. Tenders will be finalised before that,” said an official from the Food and Civil Supplies Department.
