Centre launches subsidised Chana dal at ₹60/kg

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday launched the sale of subsidised Chana dal under the brand name Bharat Dal.

The pulses are being offered at the rate of ₹60 per kg for one kg pack and ₹55 per kg for a 30 kg pack, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, which is also headed by Goyal, said.

The retail outlets of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) in Delhi-NCR are selling the chana dal. The introduction of Bharat Dal is a major step taken by the Centre towards making pulses available to consumers at affordable prices by converting chana stock of the government into chana dal, it added.

The milling and packaging of the Chana dal are undertaken by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) for distribution through its retail outlets in Delhi-NCR and also through the outlets of NCCF, Kendriya Bhandar and Safal.

• Also read: As the cheapest pulses crop, chana finds favour with cost-conscious consumers

The chana dal, under this arrangement, is also made available to State governments for supplies under their welfare schemes, police, jails, and also for distribution through their consumer cooperative outlets.

Chana is the most abundantly produced pulse in India and is consumed in several forms all over India. Chana whole is soaked and boiled to make salad and roasted chana is served as snacks. Fried chana dal can also be used as an alternative to tur dal, curries and soups.

Chana besan is a major raw material for namkeens and sweets. Chana has multiple nutritional health benefits as it is rich in fibre, iron, potassium, vitamin B, selenium beta carotene, and choline which are required by the human body to control anaemia, blood sugar, bone health, etc., and even for mental health.

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