Ration shops to sell pulses soon

The government on Friday admitted that market prices of pulses are higher than the import rates and said it would soon launch a scheme of supplying them at subsidised rates to people through ration shops.

"If we have to make pulses available to the weaker section, there is no other alternative than supplying them through the public distribution system," Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said in the Rajya Sabha.

The Minister said the government would launch a scheme within next one-and-a-half months (by December) by providing pulses to each card holder one kg of pulses at Rs 10 a kg, less than its market price.

Pawar said the government has sold the imported pulses below the cost of import to keep the prices under check. However, he admitted that market price is higher than the import cost.

He said the government-appointed trading firms sold most of the imported pulses at below the cost of their purchase.

Joshi pointed out that though the import cost of urad is about Rs 28 a kg this year, its market price is about Rs 60 per kg despite the government's public sector agencies selling the commodity at an average rate of Rs 27.45 a kg.

Similar is the situation regarding tur, moong and chana, he added. Pawar said PSUs such as MMTC, STC and PEC, besides cooperative major Nafed have imported 3.52 lakh tonnes of pulses this year till October 16.