New Delhi: The Delhi government has initiated the procurement of 600 quintals of sugar per month for free distribution to over 65,000 ration card holders through the public distribution system, officials said on Tuesday, PTI reported.
Last month, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that the cabinet had approved the free supply of sugar to all beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) in the capital from January 2026 to March 2027.
The Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs department currently provides rations to over 72 lakh eligible people in Delhi, of whom 65,883 ration card holders fall under the AAY category. The scheme covers the poorest households, including elderly persons, migrant workers, and people with disabilities, and offers essential food items at highly subsidised rates.
Officials said AAY beneficiaries are linked to about 1,600 fair price shops across the city, from where the sugar will be distributed in biodegradable polythene packets.
The Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation has initiated the tender process to appoint a vendor for supplying the sugar. Officials added that all sugar supplied to ration shops will be certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and will meet quality standards, including being free from foreign matter and odour.
The selected supplier will also be required to have a warehouse in the Delhi-NCR region to store stocks and ensure regular supply to fair price shops, officials said.
