Date:02/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/02/stories/2006060220670100.htm

Front Page

PDS wheat, rice prices to be hiked

Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: Faced with a wheat crisis, the Government proposes to reduce allocation of foodgrains and raise the issue prices of wheat and rice in the Public Distribution System.

The move will save about 30 lakh tonnes of wheat to tide over the shortfall in buffer norms. This is in addition to import of 35 lakh tonnes. Allocations will now be based on the offtake in the last three years.

The Government may also ban wheat and rice export and close its open market sale scheme (OMSS) for domestic bulk consumers to keep prices in check. It may restrict the food grains allocation in some of the welfare schemes by asking the Finance Ministry to replace food grains with cash.