Due to the rise in commodity prices, the sales of food items in the open market or OMS activities have also increased.
As a result, the food ministry has asked the finance ministry to allocate another five lakh tonnes of rice and wheat in the current financial year (2021-22).
Of this, three lakh tonnes of rice and two lakh tonnes of flour were demanded. The Ministry of Food sent a letter requesting this allocation on Sunday.
It is said that in the fiscal year 2021-22, the allocation for rice in the OMS sector is 4.70 lakh tonnes, and the allocation for wheat is 4.64 lakh tonnes. Under the OMS programme 3.70 lakh tonnes of rice and 3.25 lakh tonnes of wheat have been sold till March 15. At present, there are one lakh tonnes of rice and 1.39 lakh tonnes of wheat available in the stock.
The letter said that considering the possibility of rising rice prices in the coming month of Ramadan, 65 new truck sales were launched in all city corporations of the country from March 17 to help low-income people and keep food grain prices affordable.
In that context, the total number of approved OMS centers (shops / trucks) is 2,013.
In this case, 2630 tonnes of rice and 2,890 tonnes of wheat are required daily to keep the OMS activities running, said the Ministry of Food.
The letter further said that in the current financial year, in addition to public holidays, in March, April, May and June, a total of 86 days OMS activities will require 2.26 lakh tonnes of rice and 2.48 lakh tonnes of wheat. With the sale of this amount of rice and wheat, an additional 1.26 lakh tonnes of rice and 1.09 lakh tonnes of wheat will have to be stored.
In this situation, considering the urgent need and expansion of the OMS center, the Ministry of Food sent a letter for allocation of the specified amount of rice and wheat.