Centre to use postal network for pulses distribution

The central government has decided to use postal network for distribution of subsidized pulses and release more chana from buffer stock to ensure availability of these commodities at reasonable prices during the ongoing festival season.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Inter Ministerial Committee on prices of essential commodities headed by Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pande here on Friday, an official source said.

The committee at its meeting also reviewed availability and prices of essential commodities, specially pulses, and suggested that in the absence of government outlets in the states, postal networks should be used for the pulses' distribution.

The committee observed that there were declining trends in the prices of pulses in recent weeks. It also reviewed procurement arrangements of Kharif pulses by government agencies, an official release said.

It was informed that so far 500 procurement centres have been opened and farmers were being paid through cheques or bank transfer instantly.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the ministries of Agriculture, Food, Commerce, Revenue, Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED), the source said.

--IANS

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