Central government will also sell whole gram and lentils under the 'Bharat' brand; Know the rates

Under the 'Bharat' brand, the central government expanded its program on Wednesday to provide whole grains and lentils along with subsidized pulses to the common people. The goal of their retail sale is to help the general public manage with the rising prices due to inflation. 

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi on Wednesday launched the second phase of Bharat Brand. Mr. Joshi said that through cooperative network NCCF, NAFED and Central Store, whole gram will be sold at a retail rate of ₹ 58 per kg and lentil dal at ₹ 89.

Joshi said, "We are selling our buffer stock kept under the Price Stabilisation Fund at subsidized rates." The government has allocated 3 lakh tonnes of gram and 68,000 tonnes of moong to co-operatives. The Ministers of State for Food and Consumer Affairs BL Verma and Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya were present on the occasion.

NCCF Managing Director Anis Chandra Joseph said the distribution of Bharat Brand will first start in Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Under the scheme, Bharat Brand products are planned to be retailed within 10 days from dues date across the country.

He said, "Whole gram has been included under the subsidized sales programme, there is huge demand for it. We are in talk with e-commerce platforms and retail stores to increase the reach."

The first phase of this scheme was launched in October 2023. Then, the government has done retailing of rice and wheat flour as well as gram dal, moong dal and whole moong at affordable rates.

Whereas under the first phase, the price of Bharat Brand wheat flour has been fixed at Rs 30 per kg as against the earlier price of Rs 27.50, rice at Rs 34 per kg from Rs 29, chana dal at Rs 70 per kg from Rs 60 while moong dal and whole moong will be sold at Rs 107 per kg and Rs 93 per kg respectively. While onion is being made available to people at Rs 35 per kg, the government is selling tomato at Rs 65 per kg to check rising prices of these commodities in the market.

The Union Minister said, pulses production this year is expected to be better as the government has substantially increased the support price of pulses.