‘BJD Govt spent Rs 1,200 cro freebies to PDS cardholders ahead of 2024 polls’: Minister

The Government had to cough up more than Rs 1,200 crore towards providing Rs 1,000 one-time assistance to all ration card holders and jute carry bags free of cost as the previous BJD-led government had doled out a tsunami of freebies apparently to woo voters.