Maha has enough stock of food grains,no need to panic: Bhujbal

Advertisement
Maha has enough stock of food grains,no need to panic: Bhujbal
(Eds: with additional quotes)

Mumbai, Apr 4 () Amid reports of hardships beingfaced by people in procuring food grains from fair price shopsdue to the lockdown in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, theMaharashtra government on Saturday said the state has enoughreserves of grains that can last for six more months.

Advertisement

Appealing to people to not panic and crowd such shops,Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal also said thestate government is planning to buy food grains from the openmarket and sell it to holders of saffron-coloured ration cardsat cheaper rates.

Bhujbal made the remarks after meeting NCP chiefSharad Pawar at the latter's residence in Mumbai.

During the meeting, he apprised Pawar about the stepsbeing taken for providing food grains to ration card-holdersamid the ongoing 21-day lockdown.

"We have adequate stock of food grains. There is noshortage of it. There is enough stock for six months," Bhujbalsaid, adding that beneficiaries will get regular food grainsplus the free five kg rice announced by the Centre.

Advertisement

He said the government will buy food grains from openmarket at Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg and sell it at subsidisedRs 10 to Rs 12 per kg to the saffron card-holders to help themtide over the crisis.

The move will put the additional burden of Rs 300crore per month on the state exchequer.

The minister further said that he would look into thecomplaints regarding people from containment zones in Mumbainot receiving food grains.

Till Friday, about 6.94 lakh quintals of food grainswere distributed to 28.61 lakh ration card-holders through thepublic distribution system since Wednesday.

This amount, distributed during the lockdown imposedfor the coronavirus outbreak, was said to be a record. ENMARUNSK NSK
{{}}

(This story has not been edited by Business Insider and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed we subscribe to.)