Ration items supply halts in Assam for two months due to interim budget

GUWAHATI: The Assam government has announced that the supply of subsidised pulses, sugar and salt under the public distribution system (PDS) will be suspended for two months. The announcement was made on Monday as the state continues to function under a vote-on-account budget following the recent assembly elections.

The food, public distribution and consumer affairs department explained that the state is currently operating under a vote-on-account, and the full 2026–27 budget will be presented by the new government in July. “The new government will present a full budget in July, and after its passage, the scheme will restart from August,” it said.

In a newspaper advertisement, the department said the distribution of the three items, which were earlier provided to eligible beneficiaries at subsidised rates, has been halted for two months starting in June, PTI reported.

The government clarified that the distribution of monthly free rice will continue without interruption during this period. It also said that if fair price shops have leftover stocks of Masoor dal, sugar and salt after May’s distribution, those items will be distributed to poor families in June.

While presenting the interim budget in February ahead of the assembly elections, then finance minister Ajanta Neog had sought a vote-on-account of Rs 62,294.78 crore to allow the government to meet expenditure on essential services until the full budget was introduced.


(With PTI inputs)