Par panel raps govt for not creating buffer stock of pulses

A Parliamentary panel today criticised the government for "brushing aside" its recommendation for maintaining a buffer stock of pulses.
The panel also said that since the country has not attained self-sufficiency in pulses, the government should formulate a long term policy for increasing pulses production, keep watch on prices and plan in advance for imports.
"The committee deprecate the approach of the ministry (of food and consumer affairs) in brushing aside the recommendation of the committee for maintaining buffer stock of pulses as is maintained for wheat, sugar, rice, etc...," the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said in its report tabled in the Lok Sabha.

The Food Ministry has said there is no such proposal for consideration. But the PAC reiterated that the government should implement its recommendation with regard to creating buffer stock of pulses after careful assessment of its economic implication, the report said.
In the report, PAC said the government should come up with a new long-term policy for raising pulses production as the previous policy had "failed" to yield intended results.
Besides, the government should also keep a watch on pulses prices and its shortage and accordingly plan in advance for imports, it said.

PAC also said that it is constrained to note that the government is yet to formulate the modalities to carry out the survey to study the demand pattern of pulses in the country.

The panel had recommended the government to devise an institutional mechanism within the Food Ministry to collect, collate and analyse the actual demand in order to have scientific data about supply and demand of pulses each year.
India imports 3-4 million tonnes of pulses every year as its domestic production is stagnant at around 17-18 million tonnes.