Nagpur: Maharashtra Government, taking the beating over rising prices of pulses, has enacted a law in order to control the price rise of the commodity in the market. The law, if comes into force, will not allow selling of tur dal above Rs 120 a kg. State Food and Civil Supplies Girish Bapat has said that the rising prices of pulses are a matter of grave concern. Hence the State Government has drafted a law which will limit the price of tur dal at Rs 120 a kg in retail market. The draft of the law was sent to Central Government for it approval. The Union Cabinet gave its nod and now the Bill is pending with President of India for his seal and signature. Once the law is okayed by the President, the maximum sell price of pulses will be fixed.
State Food and Civil Supplies Girish Bapat was in Nagpur on Tuesday and held discussions with retail-wholesale traders, representatives of traders organizations and dal mill owners. Even if the government has fixed the maximum price of pulses the rates may vary in different areas. According to Bapat, only 30 percent of total sale of pulses is produced in the country while the rest 70 percent is imported making India the biggest importer of pulses in the world. But efforts are now being made to increase the production of pulses in the country. Maharashtra Government recent purchased about 775 metric tonnes of raw tur from the Centre at a cost of Rs 66 per kg and sell it at Rs 120/kg after processing it in some districts of the State. This stock of pulses will be made available in the open market in Nagpur district as well as at other places.
Tur dal to Antyodaya-BPL card holders:
Bapat further said that in order to give relief to the common man from the rising prices of pulses, Maharashtra Government has decided to sell tur dal at a subsidized rate rate for a limited period to BPL families and beneficiaries under Antyodaya Anna Yojana. The move is expected to give relief to over 72 lakh families across the state. Though one kg of dal is not sufficient but it will provide some relief. The subsidized rate will be decided by a committee. State Food and Civil Supplies will itself purchase the commodity and distribute to poor families.
