Guwahati: Assam govt under leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today launched a new scheme to provide Masur Dal, sugar and salt to families covered under the National Food Security Act at prices lower than the market rate in a programme held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. Simultaneously, meetings were organized at around 33,000 Fair Price Shops across Assam, attended by Ministers, MLAs, local dignitaries and beneficiaries. The central event in Guwahati was broadcast live across these locations.
Under the Public Distribution System, nearly 70 lakh families covering around 2.45 crore beneficiaries will benefit from the initiative. Each ration card holder family can purchase one kilogram of Masur Dal at Rs. 69, sugar at Rs. 38 and salt at Rs. 10 per month. Thus, all three items together will cost just Rs. 117. These rates will remain effective for November and December 2025.
“From now on, every household with a ration card will get dal, sugar, and salt at subsidised rates,” Dr. Sarma said.
Under the scheme, 1 kg dal is sold at Rs 69, sugar at Rs 38, and salt at Rs 10, totalling Rs 117 per month. However, starting January 1, the combined price will be reduced to Rs 100 per household per month.
“Instead of paying Rs 69 and worrying about Rs 1 change, we decided that from January 1, you can simply pay Rs 100 and get dal, sugar, and salt,” the Chief Minister added, drawing applause from the audience.
From January 2026 onwards, the prices will be further reduced. The ration card holders will get Masur Dal at Rs. 60, sugar at Rs. 30 and salt at Rs. 10 enabling families to buy all three for just Rs. 100. The products will be available in specially designed one-kilogram packets. Similar to the free rice distribution system, beneficiaries can collect these items during the ‘Anna Seva Divas’ between 1st and 10th of every month from Fair Price Shops using e-PoS machines.
For the current month, the items will be available from November 10 onwards. Beneficiaries can purchase one, two or all three items, with separate biometric authentication required for each.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said that the government has fulfilled every promise made over the past five years. Highlighting the welfare measures undertaken so far and those planned for the future, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured bank accounts for poor families and directly transferred LPG subsidies to them. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister provided free rice to all poor families which continues even today.
Dr. Sarma said that keeping the needs of the poor families in mind, the Assam Government launched the Orunodoi scheme in 2020, initially benefiting 18 lakh families with Rs. 830 each. The number of beneficiaries rose to 28 lakh under Orunodoi 2.0 and to 38 lakh under Orunodoi 3.0. The monthly assistance amount has also been enhanced from Rs. 830 to Rs. 1,000, and now to Rs. 1,250.
Informing that the widow pension has been raised to Rs. 1,250, the Chief Minister said that old-age pension will also be enhanced soon. He added that apart from Orunodoi and LPG subsidies, poor families are receiving free healthcare worth up to Rs. 5 lakh annually under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Asom Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Students from ration card holder families are being offered free college admissions, girl students are receiving financial assistance under the Nijut Moina scheme and Class IX students are getting bicycles. “When a compassionate government is in place, people’s hardships are greatly reduced,” he said.
The Chief Minister further informed that families who no longer require Orunodoi benefits can voluntarily opt out through the portal, allowing the benefit to reach those who need it most. He announced that every Orunodoi family will now receive Rs. 250 as subsidy per LPG cylinder and in the future, subsidized edible oil will also be provided. Dr. Sarma added that Orunodoi assistance will be increased during Bihu and other festivals so that women can buy new clothes for their children. The government is also considering measures to ensure that domestic workers get at least one day off per week, he stated.
Reaffirming that his government’s politics is centered on the welfare and happiness of the poor, the Chief Minister said, “When women go to the bank to withdraw Orunodoi assistance, they feel empowered because it is their own money.” He added, “A society where the poor and middle class live happily is an ideal society.”
He also announced that Fair Price Shop dealers will receive Rs. 2 per kilogram for distributing dal, sugar and salt and urged them not to collect any extra amount from beneficiaries.
The event was attended by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai, Labour Welfare Minister Rupesh Gowala, MPs Bijuli Kalita Medhi and Bhubaneswar Kalita, MLAs Atul Bora, Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota and several other dignitaries.
