Government to import 30,000 MT pulses to check prices

The Government has decided to import further 30,000 MT pulses, consisting of 20,000 MT Tur and 10,000 MT Urad, for the buffer stock, in order to check on rising prices. The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of Price Stabilization Fund chaired by Union Consumer Affairs Secretary, Hem Pande. The meeting reviewed the procurement and distribution of pulses from buffer stock.

The government agencies have so far procured about 1,19,572 MT pulses from the domestic market and farmers and 56,000 MT pulses have been contracted for import. Thus 1,75,572 MT pulses are available with the buffer stock.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has requested state governments repeatedly to lift the pulses Tur and Urad from the buffer stock for distribution for not more than Rs 120 per kg. These pulses are provided to the states - Tur at the rate of Rs 67 per kg and Urad at the rate of Rs 82 perkg. On the request of the state governments, over 29,000 MT pulses have been allocated to the states as on August 01, 2016 but only 3 states have lifted some quantities against their allotments.