Bharat brand of chana dal (Kadalai paruppu) is being sold at ₹60/kg in one kilo packets at crowded marketplaces in mobile vans to help reduce its prices in the open market.
The Union government’s exercise lacks transparency and seems like a political game where the ruling party at the Centre was trying to score over the State governments, say activists.
V. Suresh, former advisor appointed by the Supreme Court on food security for Tamil Nadu, said that he had not heard about Bharat dal being sold in this manner without much publicity. The fact that it is being sold at a lower price is an information that the public should know. With ration shops available in every nook and corner in the State, it would be ideal if it is sold through the public distribution system (PDS).
This could also be competitive selling between the Centre and State and considering the rancor between the governments, it is unfortunate since the ultimate sufferer is the consumer. There should not be a competitive selling of essential commodities meant to derive political name and mileage, he said.
Consumer activist T. Sadagopan said that he had not seen any vans selling the dal in marketplaces. “The system does not seem to be transparent. Perhaps the dal is being sold to wholesalers. Fifty vans are hardly enough to cover the State. The dal could be sold through the cooperative stores or even Aavin outlets if the Centre really aims at reducing prices of dal. Fair price shops are the best option since even those who are not family card holders can buy from there. There could also be a cap on quantity being sold to each person,” he suggested.
A retired official of the State Civil supplies department said that chana dal came only third after tur dal and urad dal in the purchases at homes. “It is used only in small quantities in homes. The off take of tur dal through the PDS is 30,000 tonnes per month. If the Centre really wants to reduce prices, it should consider selling tur dal and ural dal. It can sell under the Bharat Brand through the PDS system,” he said.
B. Pushpavalli, a senior citizen who buys provisions from her local fair price shops, said she gets 1 kg of tur dal but the quantity was not enough for her family. “I also get 10 kgs of rice, but that too is not enough for my family. It would be great if the fair price shops selling this Bharat Brand dal at a lesser price,” she said.
Even under the Open Market Sale Scheme-Domestic (OMSS-D), the Food Corporation of India does not sell food grains in the open market at subsidised prices through PDS Shops. They only sell to Millers. In Tamil Nadu the response for the schemes to sell wheat has not been good, pointed out Mr. Sadagopan.
