New Delhi: This festive season, the government has brought a wave of relief for the common people by making chana dal more affordable.
Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi launched Phase II of the Bharat Chana Dal retail initiative in Delhi-NCR, underscoring the government's commitment to making essential food items available at affordable prices.
As part of this initiative, 3 lakh tons of Chana stock from the government's price stabilization buffer are being converted to Chana Dal and Chana Whole, priced at Rs. 70 and Rs. 58 per kilogram, respectively. Mobile vans from NCCF, NAFED, and Kendriya Bhandar were flagged off to distribute these products.
The Bharat brand has also been expanded to include Moong and Masur dals, which are being retailed at competitive prices: Bharat Moong Dal at Rs. 107 per kg, Moong Sabut at Rs. 93 per kg, and Masur Dal at Rs. 89 per kg. This timely resumption of Bharat Chana Dal sales is intended to boost supplies to consumers in Delhi-NCR during the festive season.
Minister Joshi emphasized that this initiative reflects the government's ongoing efforts to stabilize prices for essential food items like rice, atta, dals, and onions. Several measures have been taken to ensure the availability of pulses, including increasing the minimum support price (MSP) and allowing duty-free imports of key pulses, such as Tur, Urad, Masur, and Chana, until March 31, 2025. These policies, along with increased domestic production and imports, have contributed to a decline in pulse prices since July 2024.
In addition to pulses, the government has also focused on onion price stabilization. It procured 4.7 lakh tonnes of onions from the rabi crop for its price stabilization buffer, with 1.15 lakh tonnes already disposed of. Bulk transportation of onions by rail rakes, including shipments to Chennai and Delhi, has been introduced to expedite distribution. Similar efforts are being planned to transport onions to cities across India, ensuring wider availability at reasonable prices.
Chana dal lovers can now enjoy lower prices, thanks to the government's initiative to stabilize essential food costs. While it's not a major shift, the reduced prices will certainly ease the burden on household budgets, offering much-needed savings.
