Assam Government Halts Subsidized Pulses, Sugar, and Salt Distribution Temporarily
Temporary Suspension of Subsidized Food Items
Representational image of a beneficiary holding packets of subsidised sugar and salt. (Photo:X)
Guwahati, Jun 1: The Assam state government has declared a two-month halt on the distribution of subsidized pulses, sugar, and salt through the public distribution system, following the recent assembly elections and the ongoing vote-on-account budget.
According to an announcement in local newspapers, the food, public distribution, and consumer affairs department stated that the provision of these three essential food items, previously available at subsidized rates to eligible individuals, will cease starting June.
The department clarified that the state is currently functioning under a vote-on-account budget, with the complete budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 expected to be introduced by the new government in July.
"The new administration will unveil a comprehensive budget in July, and the distribution scheme will resume in August after its approval," the announcement noted.
Nonetheless, the distribution of free rice will proceed without interruption during this period.
The government also mentioned that any remaining Masoor dal, sugar, and salt from May's distribution will be allocated to underprivileged families this month.
During the presentation of the interim budget in February, prior to the assembly elections, then Finance Minister Ajanta Neog requested a vote-on-account of Rs 62,294.78 crore to facilitate essential service expenditures until the full budget is presented.
She emphasized that to uphold the fundamental right to food, the government has supported 70.71 lakh families and provided free rice to over 2.49 crore citizens under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.