Assam govt starts providing pulses, sugar and salt to families covered under the National Food Security Act

Guwahati: Assam government has started providing pulses, sugar and salt to families covered under the National Food Security Act.

Assam is going to assembly polls early next year. Masoor Dal, sugar and salt provided by the government is at a lower price than the market rate.Simultaneously, meetings were organized at around 33,000 Fair Price Shops across Assam, attended by Ministers, MLAs, local dignitaries and beneficiaries. The central event in Guwahati was broadcast live across these locations.

Under the Public Distribution System, nearly 70 lakh families covering around 2.45 crore beneficiaries will benefit from the initiative. Each ration card holder family can purchase one kilogram of Masoor Dal at Rs. 69, sugar at Rs. 38 and salt at Rs. 10 per month. Thus, all three items together will cost just Rs. 117. These rates will remain effective for November and December 2025.

From January 2026 onwards, the prices will be further reduced. The ration card holders will get Masoor Dal at Rs. 60, sugar at Rs. 30 and salt at Rs. 10 enabling families to buy all three for just Rs. 100. The products will be available in specially designed one-kilogram packets. Like the free rice distribution system, beneficiaries can collect these items during the ‘Anna Seva Divas’ between 1st and 10th of every month from Fair Price Shops using e-PoS machines. For the current month, the items will be available from November 10 onwards. Beneficiaries can purchase one, two or all three items, with separate biometric authentication required for each.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the government has fulfilled every promise made over the past five years. Highlighting the welfare measures undertaken so far and those planned, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured bank accounts for poor families and directly transferred LPG subsidies to them.

Sarma said that keeping the needs of the poor families in mind, the Assam Government launched the Orunodoi scheme in 2020, initially benefiting 18 lakh families with Rs. 830 each. The number of beneficiaries rose to 28 lakhs under Orunodoi 2.0 and to 38 lakh under Orunodoi 3.0. The monthly assistance amount has also been enhanced from Rs. 830 to Rs. 1,000, and now to Rs. 1,250.

He added that apart from Orunodoi and LPG subsidies, poor families are receiving free healthcare worth up to Rs. 5 lakh annually under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Asom Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Students from ration card holder families are being offered free college admissions, girl students are receiving financial assistance under the Nijut Moina scheme and Class IX students are getting bicycles. “When a compassionate government is in place, people’s hardships are greatly reduced,” he said.

The Chief Minister further informed that families who no longer require Orunodoi benefits can voluntarily opt out through the portal, allowing the benefit to reach those who need it most. He announced that every Orunodoi family will now receive Rs. 250 as subsidy per LPG cylinder and in the future, subsidized edible oil will also be provided.

Sarma added that Orunodoi assistance will be increased during Bihu and other festivals so that women can buy new clothes for their children. The government is also considering measures to ensure that domestic workers get at least one day off per week, he stated.

Reaffirming that his government’s politics is centered on the welfare and happiness of the poor, the Chief Minister said, “When women go to the bank to withdraw Orunodoi assistance, they feel empowered because it is their own money.” He added, “A society where the poor and middle class live happily is an ideal society.”

He also announced that Fair Price Shop dealers will receive Rs. 2 per kilogram for distributing dal, sugar and salt and urged them not to collect any extra amount from beneficiaries.