Fourteen days after its announcement that sugar and mustard oil will be supplied through the Public Distribution System (PDS) from September 1, the state government is yet to keep its promise.

Potatoes, however, were made available through ration shops from Sunday - four days after scheduled time. On September 3, state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta had promised that the state will supply potato through PDS from the 9th of the month at the rate of Rs 13 per kg.

A senior official of the Food and Supply department said: “We will start supplying sugar from next week and have already supplied the item to a few ration shops. The availability of sugar got delayed due to the long tendering process.”

He added: “Initially, we were supposed to procure sugar from MMTC, a Central enterprise. But the company retreated as we could not withdraw VAT from their supply. So, we again had to float tenders.”

Kalicharan Gupta, a ration shop owner in Bhowanipore, said: “Though we have deposited money to the Food and Supply department for lifting sugar, we are not getting the supply. Now, we have been asked to pick up sugar from Haldia godown — the supplier’s godown — as the state is unable to bear the cost of transportation.” Around 5,000 ration dealers of Kolkata and Howrah deposited money for lifting sugar, but only 100 dealers have received the supply, he added.

Even though the finance minister has promised to provide a subsidy of Rs 6 crore to the department for procuring sugar and supplying it to the ration shops, it is yet to get the fund. “Neither the Essential Commodity Supply Corporation nor the department has the money to procure sugar,” said an official.

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