More than 96 per cent of foodgrains and essential commodities earmarked for advance Diwali distribution have been transported from warehouses to fair price shops across Gujarat, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Raman Solanki announced on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. The state government has ordered an early October distribution push so that ration cardholders receive their monthly quota — plus festive extras — well before Diwali falls in early November.

Festive Allocation Details

Over and above the regular monthly entitlement, each ration cardholder will receive one litre of double-filtered groundnut oil and one kg of sugar as part of the additional festive allocation. This brings the total sugar disbursement to two kg per ration card for October. Minister Solanki confirmed that adequate stocks of both groundnut oil and sugar are available at fair price shops across the state.

Commodity-Wise Progress on the Ground

Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies P. C. Baranda said approximately 1.95 lakh metric tonnes of commodities had already been delivered to fair price shops out of a total of around two lakh metric tonnes to be transported through the Gujarat State Civil Supplies Corporation. Breaking it down by commodity, 98 per cent of the allocated wheat, rice, gram, and sugar had reached shops, while tur dal deliveries stood at 97 per cent.

For the festive extras, around 90 per cent of double-fortified salt and 93 per cent of one-litre packs of double-filtered groundnut oil had been delivered statewide. In Vadodara specifically, 2,12,660 oil pouches out of a total 2,27,790 had reached designated fair price shops — representing 93.34 per cent of the consignment. Baranda stated that the remaining 15,130 pouches are to be delivered 'at the earliest.'

Distribution Begins, Response Positive

Fair price shop operators across Gujarat have already begun handing out commodities to beneficiaries, and the advance distribution has reportedly drawn a positive response from ration cardholders. The early rollout is designed to prevent last-minute crowding and supply stress that often accompanies festive seasons.

This comes amid the state government's broader effort to ensure no disruption in the Public Distribution System (PDS) during major festivals. Notably, the advance distribution model — releasing regular monthly supplies alongside festive extras — has been used in Gujarat in previous years to manage demand spikes around Diwali.

What Happens Next

Officials indicated that the remaining few percentage points of undelivered stock — particularly the 7 per cent of tur dal and 10 per cent of double-fortified salt yet to be dispatched — are being prioritised for immediate dispatch. With Diwali approaching in early November, the state administration is expected to complete the final leg of deliveries within days, ensuring all ration cardholders can collect their entitlements in time.