Gujarat’s September Ration Sugar Supply Falls From 7,100 MT To 4,500 MT
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
With Janmashtami and other major festivals approaching, the allocation of sugar under Gujarat's public distribution system (PDS) has declined significantly. The state received an allocation of 4,500 metric tonnes of sugar for September, compared with 7,100 metric tonnes in August — a reduction of around 36.6%.
The development has raised concerns among poor and middle-class families dependent on the ration distribution system, particularly ahead of the festival season.
Sugar Distributed At Subsidised Rates
According to the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, sugar is distributed through the public distribution system to Antyodaya and BPL ration cardholders.
The quantity is allocated according to the number of family members. Antyodaya cardholders receive sugar at ₹15 per kg, while BPL cardholders receive it at ₹22 per kg.
The department has said advance arrangements have been made to ensure that eligible beneficiaries can obtain sugar during the festival period.
Ration Portal Glitch Created Fresh Trouble
The reduction in September's allocation comes after a technical issue on the rationing portal had already disrupted the distribution process.
The online sugar permits for September had reportedly disappeared from the portal, preventing fair-price shop dealers from generating the required online challans to lift their allotted stock.
As a result, the process of transporting sugar from government godowns to fair-price shops was temporarily affected, creating a situation in which around 10 lakh families in the state could potentially have been deprived of sugar.
Challan Deadline Extended To September 3
Following the disruption, the deadline for fair-price shop dealers to generate challans for September's sugar and other commodities has been extended to September 3, 2026.
The extension is intended to facilitate the distribution process after the technical issue on the ration portal.
Despite the government's assurance of advance planning for festival requirements, the sharp decline in sugar allocation compared with August has raised questions over the availability of subsidised sugar for eligible families during the festive season.
