Following the Centre’s appeal to States to supply tur dal at reasonable rates, several States have begun selling pulses at prices much lower than the market rates, either through government agencies or the Pubic Distribution System.
The Tamil Nadu government is selling 1 kg of urad dal and imported lentils each to a consumer at Rs. 30 per kg; Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are supplying 1 kg of tur at Rs. 40 per kg to those Below Poverty Line and Antyodaya Anna Yojna beneficiaries under the PDS.
The Haryana government has directed the Haryana Agriculture Marketing Federation to procure pulses from the open market and sell them at Rs. 50 per kg through its 80 centres. Under the dal-roti scheme, the State is providing 2.5 kg of chana to people Below Poverty Line and Antyodaya Anna Yojna beneficiaries. In Himachal, chana and masoor dals are being sold at Rs. 50 a kg through PDS shops.
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After talking to millers, importers and chambers of commerce, the governments of Gujarat, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand have decided to make tur available through the PDS at prices from Rs. 120 to Rs. 140 per kg. The open market price is Rs.178 per kg.
According to government sources, Gujarat millers will supply tur dal at Rs. 135 per kg, which will be sold at Rs. 145 per kg in the retail market.