Govt to import 90,000 tonnes of chana dal and check the prices of sugar

The Dollar Business Bureau

The government has decided to import 90,000 tonnes of chana dal through state-owned trading firm MMTC and analyse import duty on sugar to boost domestic supply.

Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha on Wednesday reviewed the stock and the prices of essential commodities. He also asked the Department of Consumer Affairs to consider all available options to check the prices of sugar and chana dal.

The Central government has asked the State governments to impose stock limits and take adequate action against hoarders to make sure that all the essential commodities are available during the ongoing festival season.

The secretaries of consumer affairs, agriculture, food, commerce, expenditure and several others attended the meetings.

"It was observed that the recent measures taken by the central government have helped contain prices of most of the pulses, which are showing declining trends, and other essential commodities except chana and sugar," an official statement said.

According to recent data, chana dal is currently being sold at an average price of Rs.110 per kg, and the maximum price is Rs.145 per kg.

Sugar is available at an average price of Rs.40 per kg, although the maximum average price is Rs.47 per kg.

In Delhi NCR, chana dal is available at Rs.136 per kg and sugar at Rs.43 per kg.

Sinha said the distribution of chana dal and other pulses should be taken up through postal network.

The meeting also reviewed distribution of pulses to state governments from the buffer stock.

The government has also decided to create a buffer stock of 20 lakh tonnes of pulses from the market.