Ration dealers to deliver Digha Dham ‘mahaprasad’ sans any charges

Kolkata: Ration dealers have refused to accept any charges, including the proposed Rs 1 per packet subsidy, to deliver the ‘mahaprasad’ (divine offerings) of Digha Jagannath Dham to every household via the state government’s ‘Duare Ration’ (Ration at Doorstep) project. The ‘mahaprasad’, featuring khoya kheer (thickened milk pudding) from Jagannath Dham, will be distributed alongside traditional Bengali sweets like ‘peda’ and ‘goja’, with dealers committing to undertake this mission without financial assistance. The distribution, set to begin on June 17 during the Rath Yatra festival, aims to complete delivery within this period. With no separate agency for such a large-scale religious distribution, the government opted to use the existing ration system. Local municipalities or Panchayat authorities will source ‘peda’ and ‘goja’, while khoya kheer will come exclusively from Jagannath Dham. Ration dealers will handle transportation, storage and delivery.