Rs 2000 crore spent on sale of Bharat brand products

03-Jul-2024 03:24 PM

New Delhi. With the aim of controlling food inflation in the domestic sector, the Central Government started providing gram dal, flour, rice and onion to the general consumers at subsidized prices under the Bharat brand name.

Under the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) scheme, about Rs 2000 crore was spent by the government on the sale of rice and flour. In the interim budget for the financial year 2024-25, the food subsidy amount is less than Rs 2.05 trillion but the total actual expenditure of 2022-23 is more than Rs 1.97 trillion.

According to analysts, the poor section is getting relief from the government's intervention in the retail sales sector of food products. Under this, the government buys grains and pulses from the farmers. Gets it milled and processed and then sells it at subsidized prices through its subordinate agencies.

In fact, people of the lower income group spend a larger part of their income on the purchase of food items as compared to the higher income group. According to a leading analyst, people at the bottom of the income pyramid or in other words,

the 50-60 percent of the country's lowest income families are finding it very difficult to cope with high inflation. Of course, the government is providing them free food grains (rice and wheat) under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, but the expenses are not limited to this.

The prices of essential commodities like pulses, oil, sugar, salt, vegetables and milk have increased and are going out of their reach, for which no relief or subsidy is being given by the government.

Bharat Brand Chana Dal is available at the rate of Rs. 60 per kg, whereas in the open market, the prices of chana dal as well as tur, urad, masoor and moong etc. are running at a very high level.