Guwahati (Assam) [India], November 10 : Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday 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. The programme was held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
Simultaneously, meetings were organised 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 to 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, costing Rs. 117 for all three items. These rates will remain effective for November and December 2025. From January 2026 onwards, prices will be further reduced to Rs. 60 for masur dal, Rs. 30 for sugar, and Rs. 10 for salt, allowing families to purchase all three items for Rs. 100.
The products will be available in specially designed one-kilogram packets. Beneficiaries can collect them during the 'Anna Seva Divas' between the 1st and 10th of every month from Fair Price Shops using e-PoS machines. For the current month, items will be available from 10 November 2025. 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: "During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister provided free rice to all poor families, which continues even today. 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 old-age pension will also be enhanced soon."
He added: "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 families holding ration cards are being offered free college admissions, girls are receiving financial assistance under the Nijut Moina scheme, and Class IX students are being given bicycles. When a compassionate government is in place, people's hardships are greatly reduced."
Reaffirming that his government's politics is centred on the welfare of the poor, he said: "When women go to the bank to withdraw Orunodoi assistance, they feel empowered because it is their own money. A society where the poor and middle class live happily is an ideal society."
The Chief Minister 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.