West Bengal government to spend Rs 22 crore for distributing special Ramzan food package

Mamata Banerjee's second term is set to be laced with freebies. She has clearly indicated her road map that reveals minority appeasement would continue. In a first of its kind in the country, the West Bengal government will spend Rs 22 crore for distributing a special food packet named as ‘Ramzan package’ in a subsidised rate through its public distribution system.

The packet would include sugar, flour and chick peas, the ingredients required to prepare Iftar recipes.

Speaking to the ET, Jyotipriya Mallik, state food minister said, “This is the first time that a state government has brought this kind of a scheme for the Muslim brothers and sisters. But we are not restricting these food packets to our minority brothers only. Anybody with acard can avail these. The ration card will bear a stamp of Ramzan food package after availing the scheme.”

The packets would be distributed twice during the Ramzan month between June 7 and 24. Mallik further added that the government would continue with Rs 2 per kg rice for all during this period. The decision of doling out Ramzan package was preceded by another populist policy. After assuming office for the second term, Banerjee,in her first cabinet meeting announced largesse for the state government employees that have already added a financial burden of Rs 3,000 crore to the exchequer.

Sensing discontent brewing among government employees regarding differences between the state and Centre dearness allowances, Banerjee offered an ‘interim relief ’ of 10 % onthe band pay of the state government employees.