Puducherry Nov 7 (PTI) The Puducherry government has announced that family ration card holders in the Union Territory would get through their bank accounts cash equivalent of 10 kg free rice and 2 kg sugar for Diwali.

A release from the Director of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, S Sathiamoorthy said on Tuesday that each of the 3.37 lakh family ration cardholders would be distributed Rs 490 under Direct Benefit Transfer mode.

The release said government employees however would not be entitled to the payment of the amount. The government would defray Rs 16.52 crore under this scheme.

The government was distributing rice and sugar through fair price shops in the past. Now cash equivalent of free rice and sugar is being paid through bank accounts of the card holders for the forthcoming Diwali festival. PTI COR ROH