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With 8 lakh tonnes of pulses in its buffer stock, the government today said it is considering to distribute dals through ration shops at non-subsidised rate.
“We have lot of pulses in our buffer stock. Some states like Karnataka want to sell pulses through the Public Distribution System (PDS). We will examine the proposal,” Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pande told PTI.
Karnataka government has asked 10,000 tonnes of pulses for PDS purpose, he added. Asked if the Centre will offer the buffer stock of pulses to States at a subsidised rate, the secretary said, “If at all we decide to offer pulses to States, it will be for sale via PDS as non-PDS item and rates will be not be subsidised.” The states can further subsidise it at their cost, he added.
Already some States like Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh are distributing pulses through PDS at a subsidised rate. It is not known whether it is sold on a regular basis.
On retail pulses prices, the secretary said that the rates are cooling down due to good domestic production.
Against the target of 20 lakh tonnes for this year, the Central government has created a buffer stock of 8,00,000 tonnes so far both through domestic procurement and imports. Out of which, 4.06 lakh tonnes of pulses been imported.
The buffer stock of pulses is being created so that it can be supplied in the open market to curb price rise.
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