Mumbai, Feb 22 (IANS): Ahead of the auspicious Gudi Padva festival on March 22 and Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's 132nd birth anniversary on April 14, the Maharashtra government will gift Rs 100 food kits to around 1.63 crore ration card holders, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced here on Wednesday.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by Shinde, to give the benefits of the subsidised ration kits under the Antyodaya Food Scheme to the poorest sections of society, for the second time after a similar scheme was implemented in Diwali 2022.

Accordingly, the festive season largesse will be given to priority families, farmers under various categories from different districts of Aurangabad and Amravati Divisions, besides Wardha of Nagpur Division, suicide-prone districts and farmers falling below the poverty line.

The food kit will comprise 1 kg each of semolina, chana dal, sugar and palm oil from Gudi Padva for a month, through both online and offline systems.

The government has also decided to complete the tendering process within 15 days instead of 21 days through an online method to procure the required rations for the upcoming scheme in time, the Chief Minister said.