Agartala: Sept 29: In a first for Tripura, the state government has announced that 983,000 ration card holders will receive 1 kg of sugar, 2 kg of flour, and 500 grams of suji free of cost to celebrate Durga Puja. The initiative will cost the government Rs. 6.84 crore.
Following the announcement, Tripura Congress President Ashish Kumar Saha criticized the move, alleging that the government had increased the price of sugar by Rs. 7 per kg, which he claimed would generate additional revenue of Rs. 68.81 lakhs per month and Rs. 8.25 crore annually. Saha accused the government of burdening the public financially under the guise of a festive gift.
In response, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury defended the decision in a press conference, stating that the initiative was aimed at helping women prepare for the Puja. He accused the Congress of engaging in negative politics and claimed that the people of Tripura had rejected such tactics. Chowdhury clarified that the price increase was due to tender processes and not an intentional move by the government to exploit the public. He further criticized the Congress for its past actions and current stance, asserting that the party had lost public support.
