Govt to sell pulses through ration shops by December: Pawar

The Union Govt today admitted that market prices of pulses are higher than the import rates and said it would soon launch a scheme of supplying them at subsidised rates to people through ration shops.     

"If we have to make pulses available to the weaker section, there is no other alternative than supplying them through the public distribution system," F&A Minister Sharad Pawar said replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in RS.     

In response to a question by Murli Manohar Joshi (BJP), the Minister said the Govt would launch a scheme within next one-and-a-half months (by December) by providing pulses to each card holder one kg of pulses at Rs 10, a kg, less than its market price.     

Pawar said the government has sold the imported pulses below the cost of import to keep the prices under check. However, he admitted that market price is higher than the import cost.     

He said the government-appointed trading firms sold most of the imported pulses at below the cost of their purchase.