Finance
To provide respite to consumers from exorbitant prices, the Centre formally inaugurated the sale of wheat flour at a discounted rate of Rs 27.50 per kg under the brand name ‘Bharat Atta’ across the country on Monday, ahead of the Diwali celebration.’Bharat Atta’ would be sold across the country by cooperatives NAFED, NCCF, and Kendriya Bhandar via 800 mobile vans and 2,000-odd stores.The subsidised fee is lower than the market rate, which ranges between Rs 36 and 70 per kg depending on quality and location.As part of the Price Stabilisation Fund initiative, the government conducted a pilot sale of 18,000 tons of ‘Bharat Atta’ for Rs 29.50 per kilogramme through these cooperatives in a few locations in February.
Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off 100 mobile vans of ‘Bharat Atta’ at the Kartavya Path here, saying, “Now that we have tested and been successful, we decided to do a formal launch so that everyone in the country can get atta at Rs 27.50 per kg.” Wheat flour sales were lower during the trial period since it was only available in a few stores. However, he believes that this time would be different because the product will be offered through 800 mobile vans and 2,000 stores across the country by these three agencies.Goyal stated that around 2.5 lakh tons of wheat will be allocated from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) at a price of Rs 21.50 per kg to Nafed, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar.
They will transform it into wheat flour and sell it under the brand ‘Bharat Atta’ for Rs 27.50 per kilogram.This will help increase availability and keep wheat flour prices stable, he said.The minister also stated that the government’s assistance in selling a few basic commodities — chana dal, tomato, and onion — at a subsidized rate is having a positive impact on price rises.Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar stated that a total of 2.5 lakh tons of wheat will be supplied to Nafed and NCCF, with 50,000 tonnes going to Kendriya Bhandar.
These three agencies’ mobile vans and stores will sell three commodities: wheat flour at Rs 27.50 per kg, chana dal at Rs 60 per kg, and onion at Rs 25 per kg, he said.The occasion was attended by Ministers of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra, and senior officials from Nafed, NCCF, and Kendriya Bhandar.
Source:FE
