Gujarat extends PDS sugar challan deadline to Sept 3

Sugar distribution deadline extended till September 3 under PDS in Gujarat

Gandhinagar, August 31

The minister said the state government has made advance arrangements to ensure that Antyodaya and BPL ration card holders have adequate access to sugar during the upcoming festive season.

Under the PDS, sugar is distributed to Antyodaya and BPL ration card holders based on the number of members in their families. Sugar is being supplied at a subsidised rate of Rs 15 per kg to Antyodaya card holders and Rs 22 per kg to BPL card holders.

In view of the upcoming festivals, the state government had made an advance allocation of sugar in August 2026, a month ahead, based on the requirements of beneficiary families.

As part of this arrangement, a total of 7,100 metric tonnes of sugar has so far been distributed to beneficiaries across the state, the minister said, according to a release.

For September 2026, the state government has allocated another 4,500 metric tonnes of sugar. The allocation is aimed at ensuring that beneficiaries receive sugar on time and in accordance with their household requirements during the festive period.

The extended deadline for challan payments would help ensure smooth distribution through fair price shops and uninterrupted availability of sugar to eligible beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, ex-mill sugar prices have declined by around 20 per cent in recent days, while retail prices have also started moving lower, as the government stepped up measures to improve market availability and prevent artificial tightening of supplies ahead of the festive season, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a press release on Friday.

The Ministry said the recent spike in sugar prices was primarily driven by hoarding and speculation, rather than an actual shortage, with nationwide physical verification of stocks confirming adequate availability. In several cases, sugar mills were found to be holding stocks higher than those declared in their monthly returns submitted to the government.

The government also found instances of mills resorting to "short selling" by selling less sugar than the quantity allocated to them under the monthly quota system. Such practices can constrain market supplies despite adequate physical stocks, it said.

To ensure faster movement of sugar, the government will replace the existing monthly quota system with a fortnightly sugar allocation system from September. Under the new mechanism, mills will be required to sell at least 40 per cent of their allocation in the first week, with the remaining quantity to be sold in the succeeding week. The system is aimed at allowing closer monitoring of demand and supply and enabling the government to respond quickly to changing market conditions.

Sugar mills have also been directed to dispatch sugar within seven days of sale, a move intended to speed up supplies from mills to dealers and consumers while discouraging accumulation and speculative holding. Bulk consumers have been advised against maintaining stocks beyond their operational requirements.

The government expects availability to strengthen further with the start of the new sugar season. Sugarcane crushing is scheduled to begin from October 15, with more than 10 lakh tonnes (LMT) of sugar expected to be produced in October and around 45 LMT in November. Mills have also been permitted to sell October production without restriction to ensure early availability in the domestic market.

The government said additional supplies are also entering the market, including through refiners selling converted sugar under the Advance Authorisation Scheme and dealers and bulk consumers offloading excess stocks. It reiterated that there is no shortage of sugar and that measures will be taken to ensure adequate supplies at reasonable prices during the upcoming festive season.

— ANI