Govt Rolls Out Phase 2 Of Subsidised Bharat Atta And Rice To Maintain Price Stability

Bharat Atta and Rice will be available for purchase at stores and mobile vans operated by Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED, and NCCF, as well as through major e-commerce platforms and big-chain retailers

Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, launched Phase 2 of the retail sale of subsidised Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice on Tuesday by flagging off mobile vans in the city. The vans, operated by the National Co-operative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF), the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), and Kendriya Bhandar, will deliver these essential goods to consumers.

In line with the government’s strategy to control inflation, Bharat Atta is being sold at Rs 30 per kg and Bharat Rice at Rs 34 per kg, both at their Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

Joshi said during the event, “The initiative is an affirmation of the Government of India’s commitment towards ensuring the availability of essential food items to the consumers at subsidised prices. Direct interventions through the retail sale of basic food items under Bharat Brand such as rice, atta and dal have helped in maintaining a stable price regime,” reported IANS.

Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice will be available for purchase at stores and mobile vans operated by Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED, and NCCF, as well as through major e-commerce platforms and big-chain retailers. During Phase 2, the ‘Bharat’ brand of Atta and Rice will be sold in 5 kg and 10 kg bags, according to an official statement.

In the initial phase of Phase 2, a total of 3.69 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and 2.91 LMT of rice will be made available for retail sale. In Phase 1, approximately 15.20 LMT of Bharat Atta and 14.58 LMT of Bharat Rice were sold to consumers at subsidised prices.

Providing an update on the paddy procurement in Punjab, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi reaffirmed the Central Government's commitment to meeting the target of 184 LMT (Lakh Metric Tonnes) of paddy procurement in the state, assuring that every single grain brought to mandis by farmers will be procured.

As of November 4, a total of 104.63 LMT of paddy had arrived at the mandis in Punjab, with state agencies and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) having procured 98.42 LMT. The paddy is being purchased at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,320 per quintal for Grade 'A' paddy, as set by the Government of India.

The paddy purchased by the central government in the ongoing Kharif marketing season (2024-25) is Rs 20,557 crore. Joshi added that this has benefited 5.38 lakh farmers, with the MSP payments being directly credited to their bank accounts.