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The government has commenced Phase - II of the retail sale of Bharat brand atta and rice by flagging off mobile vans of agencies NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar on Tuesday.
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi flagged off the vans. Bharat Atta at an MRP of Rs 30 per kg and Bharat Rice at an MRP of Rs 34 per kg is being made available to consumers during Phase II. While interacting with media persons during the event, Joshi stated that the initiative is his government's commitment towards ensuring the availability of essential food items to consumers at subsidized prices. Direct interventions through retail sale of basic food items under Bharat Brand such as rice, atta and dal have helped in maintaining stable price regime, he added. In the initial stage of Phase - II, 3.69 lakh tonnes of Wheat and 2.91 LMT of Rice are made available for retail sale. During Phase - I, around 15.20 LMT of Bharat Atta and 14.58 LMT of Bharat Rice were made available. "Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice will be available at stores and mobile vans of Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED and NCCF and e-commerce /big chain retailers. During the Phase II. 'Bharat' brand Atta and Rice will be sold in 5 Kg and 10 Kg bags," the government said in a statement. Updating on procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab, the Union Minister reiterated the commitment to achieve the targeted procurement estimate of 184 lakh tonne in Punjab and procure every single grain brought to mandis by the farmers. As of November 4, a total quantity of 104.63 LMT of paddy has arrived in the Punjab mandis out of which 98.42 LMT had been procured by state agencies and FCI. The paddy is being purchased at MSP of Rs 2320. The total paddy purchased by the Government of India till date in the ongoing Kharif marketing season 2024-25, amounts to Rs 20,557 Crores. (ANI)
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