Maharashtra: Ration card holders to get grocery pack at Rs 100

This special grocery price is only available for Diwali

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to provide a package of groceries at Rs 100 to holders of the ration card in the state for the upcoming Diwali festival. The package will contain 1 kg rawa (sooji), groundnuts, edible oil and yellow lentils (chana dal).

"There are 1.70 crore families or seven crore people who have ration cards and are eligible to buy food grain from state-run fair price shops," the statement said. The proposal was moved by the Department of Food and Civil Supply and Consumer Protection. The cabinet also cleared a proposal to spend Rs 513.24 crore for the grocery initiative.

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As per the Reserve Bank of India's consumer price index, the country's retail inflation rate is 7 per cent. Against this backdrop, the state government's decision to offer essential items at subsidised rates will enable the economically weaker sections to prepare snacks and sweets for Diwali using the package of groceries. Notably, many civic and local governing bodies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, in the state are due for elections in the coming months.

As per the cabinet decision, the package of groceries will be given only for one month and its distribution will take place from shops that have an EPOS system. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has given instructions to distribute the packages of groceries before Diwali, which will be mainly celebrated from October 24 to October 27. He asked officials to ensure there are no complaints from the ration card holders.

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