Pulse Imports for PDS Resumes

The government has resumed import of pulses through State Governments for distribution under Public Distribution System. The Centre will provide subsidy for this import to the states. The thrust of the scheme is to make pulses available to the BPL card holders at least one kg. per month. An increase availability of pulses would also have a controlling effect on prices.

Imported susidised pulses will also be provided to youth hostels, homes for poor and other such institutions which house people belonging to low income groups in large numbers.

Besides this the Centre has taken a number of steps recently to control prices of pulses which include-

· Reduced import duties to zero for pulses.

· Banned export of pulses (except Kabuli chana and organic pulses and lentils up to a maximum of 10000 tones per annum).

· Imposed stock limits from time to time in the case of pulses.

· Suspended Futures trading in urad and tur.

To compensate the losses of production of Kharif pulses, a programme on additional area coverage of pulses during Rabi/Summer 2012-13 has been sanctioned with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore to increase production of Rabi/summer pulses through area expansion of Rabi pigeon pea, gram, pea and lentil during Rabi and green gram and black gram during summer.

[Source: PIB (Min of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution) Press Release dated 22 January 2013]