Agartala, Sep 27 (IANS): Ahead of the festive season, the Tripura government would provide flour, semolina (suji) and sugar to 9.83 lakh ration cardholder families free of cost in view of catastrophic floods in the state last month.

Announcing the decision on Friday, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that the state government would give two kg of flour, one kg of sugar and 500 grams of semolina (suji) freely to 9.83 lakh ration cardholders ahead of the Durga Puja festival.

In his social media posts, the Chief Minister said that these flour, sugar, and semolina would be provided through the Public Distribution Systems (PDS).

Earlier the state government sold these items along with other essentials at subsidised rates but this time in view of the catastrophic floods, these three items would be given to the ration card holders for free.

“In view of the upcoming Sharadotsav (Durga puja), the state government has decided to provide two kg flour, one kg sugar and 500 grams semolina to people across the state. These three items would be provided free of cost,” Saha said in his different social media posts.

Food and Civil Supplies and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the government would spend Rs 6.84 crore to provide 492 MT of semolina, 1968 MT of flour and 984 MT of sugar-free of cost to 9.84 lakh ration cardholder families.

He told the media that the Tripura government took this decision in view of the severely affected catastrophic floods last month killing at least 36 men, women and children and affecting 17 lakh people across the state.

Chowdhury, who is also the spokesperson of the Tripura government, said that the state government has extended various reliefs for the flood-affected people of the state.

He said that 10 kg of rice per ration cardholder per month was distributed free of cost to the 9.84 lakh ration cardholders for two months to further ensure the food security of the flood-affected and homeless people.

The Minister announced that the Food and Civil Supplies department would replace existing old paper ration cards with PVC ration cards starting September 30.

He said that the state cabinet in its meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on Thursday approved the direct recruitment proposal for filling up 1,265 posts in various departments, including Police, Forest, Education and Revenue.