Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved reimbursement of Rs. 113 crores for losses on pulses imported between 2006 to 2011 by four government agencies.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution reimbursed Rs.113.40 crores of losses on pulses imported between 2006-2011 by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED), Project and Equipment Corporation (PEC), State Trading Corporation (STC) and Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation (MMTC), apart from losses incurred in the sale of pulses up to six months after closure of the scheme.
This will enable the Central Public Sector Units to intensify trading activities to bring down the prices of the commodities.
It was also decided to import 5000 tonnes of Tur Dal and 5000 tonnes of Urad Dal by MMTC, a Central PSU for ensuring the retail distributions to the consumers.
The States have been empowered to impose stock limits on pulses. The export of all pulses is banned except Kabuli Chana, organic pulses and Lintels to the tune of 10,000 MTs. there There is a zero duty on import of pulses, to increase the availability and control the prices of essential commodities, especially pulses and onions to people.