Agartala, May 16, 2023: Claiming Tripura is advancing towards best position across the country, Chief Minister Prof Dr Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the public-friendly government is formed to solve the people’s problem accepting it as a challenge maintaining transparency.
“The present government in Tripura is active in mitigating people’s trouble with role of friendliness attitude. Maintaining transparency for the last five years, the government has been making untiring efforts to solve people’s problem accepting them as challenges”, Tripura CM Dr Saha said while inaugurating distribution of spices in a subsidized rate through Public Distribution System (PDS) in a grand programme at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan here on Tuesday morning.
He said that the state of Tripura is revamped with new scopes and opportunities due to boosting of various ways of connectivity.
“In the recent times, investors meet, buyers and sellers meet, G20 event were held in this state. The connectivity has developed in airways, roadways and railways while efforts are on to boost the inland waterways. Even the state government has adopted various policies for provide ease of business and employment generation. Investors from India and abroad are looking forward to Tripura for investment opportunities available here”, he said.
Dr Saha also said “Tripura is going to get a facelift after the opening of ‘Maitri Setu’ (Friendship Bridge) at Sabroom in the southern district. Once it is opened, Tripura along with entire North Eastern region will reap fruits of business, trade and employment, boosten the economy, etc. In every way, Tripura is attaining best position.”
With a view to further strengthening the Public Distribution System, our government has decided to distribute packaged spices through Fair Price Shops at a subsidised price.
Glad to inaugurate the indigenous spices distribution programme at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan, Agartala… pic.twitter.com/LCQVAkKfod
— Prof.(Dr.) Manik Saha (@DrManikSaha2) May 16, 2023
Appreciating Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury’s role, Chief Minister said that the respective department had gained momentum under his leadership and supervision.
Citing the significance of ration shop dealers, he also said “You people engaged with public distribution system (PDS) may not be government employees but you all are actual service providers towards society. In 1960, famine hit the entire country which incepted PDS across the country. At present, there 137 food godowns in the state.”
Speaking at the event, FCS&CA minister Chowdhury said that the PDS is a lone way to reach people’s doorstep following the directives of the Chief Minister Dr Saha to meet the people.
“Coming out of the traditional practice of providing rice, sugar and kerosene through fair price shops, the present government had started thinking out of the box for providing more essential commodities through ration shops. Accordingly, lentils, Tripura Tea Development Corporation’s brand ‘Tripureshwari Tea’ was provided. Now, spices would be distributed. In the coming days, the government is having plan to distribute one litre of ‘Kacchi Ghani’ mustard oil for four times per annum soon”, he said.
Minister praised Annada Spices Industries Private Limited popularly known as ‘Longtharai Gura Masala’ in Tripura have been selected for distribution of spices in subsidized rate through fair price shops across the state.
He also said that the demands placed by the ration shop dealers have noted and decisions will be initiated after examining those thoroughly. However, certain decisions have been initiated such as distribution of smart card for consumers, health insurance for ration shop dealers, medical benefits for ration shop helpers, etc. The department is also initiating measures to increase the existing profit of Rs 143 per quintal of rice. He asked the ration shop dealers to work with honesty and stock up products on time.
Citing the statistics of PDS requirement in state, Minister said that there is a need of 25,000 MTs of lentils per annum, 3200 MTs of flour per months. The government is willing to increase the flour from one kilogram to two kilograms per month.
At last, Chowdhury asked the ration dealers to organize blood donation camps after every three months in response to the appeal of Chief Minister Dr Saha.
Talking at the programme, Annada Spices Industries Private Limited proprietor Ratan Debnath said that this attempt of providing ‘Longtharai Gura Masala’ (Spices) in subsidised rate due to the Chief Minister Dr Saha and Food minister Chowdhury. The government will reach the people of this state with more essential commodities in subsidised rate.
FCS&CA department’s Special Secretary Ravel Hemendra Kumar said that the department is distributing fortified rice among 24.39 lakh beneficiaries free of cost till December next. Tripura ranked the first position under 14 Special Category states and fifth position in the entire country under NFSA. The ‘Annada Spices Industries Private Limited’ have selected through e-tendering process for distribution of packetized powder of cumin (Jeera), coriander (Dhonia), Turmeric (Holud), red chilli, etc. Consumers can purchase those packets with a subsidized rate of 17 to 20 percent less from their original prices. Apart from this, initiative has been taken to develop the infrastructure of ration shops. Out of 2048 ration shops, 765 will be upgraded into ‘model’ ones.
In this programme, CM Dr Saha handed over gift hampers of Longtharai Gura Masala among Aparna Chowdhury, Bichitra Debnath, Mayarani Das and Sushmita Roy while ration dealers Narayan Saha, Munna Lepu, Swapan Majumder, Dinesh Reang, Pushpa Ranjan Chakma, Sabita Deb, Sushmita Chowdhury were felicitated by Food minister Chowdhury and others. Department’s Director Nirmal Adhikari gave the vote of thanks.
