Center to release 10,000 tonnes of pulses to state for retail distribution

The centre will release 10,000 tonnes of unmilled tur dal at Rs66 per kg and unmilled urad dal at Rs82 per kg to the states for retail distribution. These will be milled and processed and sold to consumers at rates not more than Rs120 per kg.

The centre has asked states to immediately place their requirement for making allotment of tur and urad dals for retail distribution through their channels, an official release said.

The centre has built a buffer stock of 50,000 tonnes by way of domestic procurement. It has also contracted an additional 26,000 tonnes of tur and urad dals for imports.

This is being done to ensure their availability at reasonable prices and the centre has asked state governments to avail this benefit and utilise the available stocks for managing the prices of pulses in their respective state.

States have been asked to project their demands of pulses immediately to ensure timely allocation from the buffer stock. They have also been asked to keep a close watch on the prices and to take stringent action against hoarding of f the commodity.

The centre has already empowered the states to impose stock limits on the pulses to ensure easy availability.

Government agencies have made procurement of about 50,000 tonnes of pulses from the farmers during the kharif marketing season 2015-16 and has contracted 25,000 tonnes of pulses for import. The government is also initiating procurement of rabi pulses and has targeted to procure around 1,00,000 tonnes of chana and masur to build buffer stocks further.