New Delhi: Delhi Government will sell wheat
flour at subsidised rates at 132 outlets across the city from
Saturday to provide relief to citizens from the spiralling
price of the commodity.
Announcing the initiative, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit
said initially 10 kg packets of wheat flour will be made
available for Rs 139 as against the market rate of Rs 180 to
Rs 200.
The subsidised wheat flour will be sold at 84 outlets of
Kendriya Bhandar, eight outlets of National Consumer
Cooperative Federation (NCCF) and 40 selected outlets at the
circle offices of the Food and Supplies department of the city
government.
The Chief Minister said considering the rising prices of
wheat flour in the market, Delhi Government had approached the
Union Agriculture Ministry and it has provided 80,481 metric
tonnes of wheat to Delhi Government at Rs 1,080 per quintal
under the Open Market Sale scheme.
"We are concerned about rising prices of wheat flour and
that is why this initiative is being launched to mitigate
effects of inflationary trends in food items," the Chief
Minister told a press conference.
"I think infusion of this huge quantity of wheat into the
market will bring down the price of the commodity
considerably," she added.
Officials said the government may come out with bags of
five kg packet of wheat flour in case it is felt necessary. A
five kg packet will cost Rs 70.
They said the Government has tied up with floor mills for
grinding and packaging of wheat.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf said the
nutrition level of the wheat flour will be as per the laid
down specifications under the Prevention of Food Adulteration
Act 1954.
Dikshit said the government has also decided to resume
sale of four popular pulses at revised rates at 288 Mother
Dairy Outlets in the Capital city from Saturday.
"Kala Chana will be available at Rs 36 per kg, Kabuli
Chana at Rs 50, Chana Dal at Rs 35 and Rajma Chitra at Rs 44
per kg," she said, adding Arahar and Mung Dal will not be sold
at these outlets.
The Government had launched a scheme to sell five most
consumed pulses at subsidised rates in Mother Dairy outlets.
Yusuf said the Government will come down hard on the
black marketers and hoarders in the city.
"We conducted raids at 400 places last year and already
119 cases have been filed. We will take stringent action
against the hoarders and blackmarketers," he said.
Asked about rising level of pollution in the city, the
Chief Minister said efforts are on to make the entire National
Capital Region CNG compliant.
She said Government was concerned about rising number of
diesel vehicles entering the city.
"We tried to stop them. But it is not in our hands. It is
in the hands of MCD and police," she added.
Bureau Report