Gandhinagar: Gujarat govt has extended till Sep 3 the deadline for fair price shop dealers to deposit challans for the distribution of sugar and other essential commodities under the public distribution system (PDS) for Sep.Food and civil supplies minister Raman Solanki said on Monday that the extension comes ahead of the festive season, with the state govt making prior arrangements to ensure uninterrupted availability of subsidised sugar to Antyodaya and below poverty line (BPL) ration card holders.Under the PDS, sugar is distributed to eligible beneficiaries according to the number of members in their families. Antyodaya card holders get sugar at Rs 15 a kg, while BPL beneficiaries are supplied sugar at Rs 22 a kg.Govt had made an advance allocation of sugar in Aug, a month ahead of schedule, based on the estimated requirements of beneficiary families during the festive period, an official statement said. “So far, around 7,100 metric tonnes of sugar has been distributed to beneficiaries across Gujarat. For Sep, the state has allocated another 4,500 metric tonnes,” the minister said.Officials said the advance allocation and extension of the challan payment deadline were aimed at ensuring that fair price shops have adequate stocks and beneficiaries receive their quota without delays during the festival season.
