The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy has launched the second phase of the Bharat Chana Dal initiative in Delhi-NCR. This phase aims to release 3 lakh tons of chana stock from the price stabilization buffer to increase the availability of chana dal and chana whole in the market. A press release on this launch was issued on October 23, 2024.
Key Points
Chana dal will be retailed at Rs. 70 per kg, and chana whole at Rs. 58 per kg. The government has also expanded the Bharat brand to include moong and masur dals.
The initiative aims to ensure the availability of essential food items at affordable prices for consumers. The government has taken various measures to stabilize pulse prices, including MSP increases, procurement, and duty-free imports.
The government has also been actively releasing onions from its price stabilization buffer to maintain adequate supply and control prices.
The government has implemented several strategies to ensure the availability of pulses and onions:
- NCCF and NAFED have been actively procuring pulses and onions to maintain a sufficient buffer stock.
- Awareness campaigns and seed distribution programs have been conducted to encourage farmers to increase pulse production.
- The government has allowed duty-free imports of certain pulses to augment domestic supply.
- NCCF and NAFED have utilized rail rakes to transport onions efficiently and reduce transportation costs.
Impact on Consumers
The Bharat Chana Dal initiative and other government measures are expected to benefit consumers by ensuring the availability of essential food items at affordable prices. The initiative aims to stabilize prices and increase supply of these food items to mitigate the impact of inflation on consumers.
