Agartala, Dec 2 (TIWN): To control the unbearable price rise, the Union Government is not taking any initiative and the central government is failed to keep assurances towards the country people, said Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in a programme of Public Distribution System (PDS) organized by the Food and Civil Supplies Department at Rabindra Bhavan, here today.

He further stated that that the Left Front has been demanding to provide 14 basic essential items to the people through the PDS and universalisation of the PDS, which affected the country people financially.

“To give relief to the people from the sufferings of the rising prices of the essentials house hold commodities, the state government decided to provide subsidy Rs. 105 to each ration card holders quarterly in their own bank accounts directly instead of giving subsidised one litre edible mustard oil and 2 kg masoor dal under the PDS. This projected has been started in the state from October 01, this year,” Sarkar said.

Minister for Finance, Food and Civil Supplies and ICA departments- Bhanulal Saha said, “Providing the subsidised items would cost the state government Rs.40.53 crore annually.” The state government cannot control the price rise directly, he said.

He also informed that altogether 9, 62, 689 ration card holders exist in the state while 7, 06, 338 holders have applied for the benefit. More 2.56 lakh ration card holders are yet to apply for the facility, Saha said.

The first subsidised quarterly payment (October-December) Rs. 105 will be made in the December. The revised project was inaugurated in the West Tripura district today while it will be inaugurated in the other districts on tomorrow.

During the inaugural ceremony, Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC)- Dr. Prafullajit Sinha, Sabhadhipati of West Tripura Zilla Parishad- Dilip Das and others were remained present.