Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob on Tuesday said the Food and Civil Supplies Department and Supplyco have entered the final phase of preparations for the Onam season, with extensive market intervention measures and welfare schemes aimed at ensuring price stability and food security.

To curb the rise in rice prices, the government will release 1,65,932 metric tonnes of rice and 24,506 metric tonnes of wheat into the market.

A special subsidised rice distribution scheme for non-priority ration card holders will begin next month as part of the Onam arrangements. Blue card holders will be provided 3 kg of rice at ₹10.90 per kg and 2 kg of wheat at ₹8.70 per kg.

6.09 lakh free Onam kits
The State government has sanctioned ₹53 crore for the distribution of free Onam kits to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card holders and inmates of welfare institutions.

Distribution of the kits to AAY (yellow card) beneficiaries will begin on August 10 and will be completed by August 25 (Uthradam day).

According to figures for June 2026, a total of 6,09,305 kits will be distributed. Each kit, including a cloth bag, will contain 16 essential items at an estimated cost of ₹854 per kit.

Supplyco Onam fairs
As part of its market intervention programme, Supplyco will organise Onam Mega Trade Fairs in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode from August 8 to 25.

In addition, Onam District Fairs will be held in 11 districts from August 16 to 25, while Onam Markets will be organised in 126 Assembly constituencies across the State.

₹448.05 crore allocated to Food Department
The Minister said the State government has allocated ₹448.05 crore to the Food and Civil Supplies Department during its first two months in office. He said Chief Minister V D Satheesan had taken special interest in ensuring the allocation.

By comparison, the previous government had allocated ₹700 crore to the department during the entire 2025-26 financial year, he said.

Record number of priority ration cards
The Minister also said the Food and Civil Supplies Department had achieved a record milestone under the State government's 100-day action programme by approving 73,024 new priority ration cards.

Out of 76,338 online applications received, 73,024 were approved, 1,353 were returned for submission of additional documents and 2,011 were rejected.

The newly approved priority ration card holders will start receiving free ration from the third of next month. Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the scheme.

To identify more eligible beneficiaries, the government has prepared ward-wise lists of potential beneficiaries using the RCMS database and shared them with ward members and Community Development Societies (CDSs). Directions have been issued to identify eligible persons and facilitate the submission of applications for priority ration cards.