Lok Sabha Question No. 2706 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Shortage of Pulses
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, RAKESH SINGH, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, Shrirang Appa Barne, K. GOPAL, PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL, ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR, KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN, DHARMENDRA YADAV, ARJUNLAL MEENA, A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN, RAVNEET SINGH, P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER, ASADUDDIN OWAISI, K. MARAGATHAM, RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL, SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV, DALPAT SINGH PARASTE

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2706

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.05.2016

## SHORTAGE OF PULSES

2706. DR. SHRIKANT  EKNATH  SHINDE:  SHRI  RAKESH  SINGH:  SHRI  RAMDAS C.TADAS: SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: DR. K.  GOPAL:  DR.  P.  VENUGOPAL:  ADV.  NARENDRA  KESHAV  SAWAIKAR:  SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL: SHRI NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN:  SHRI  DHARMENDRA  YADAV:  SHRI  ARJUN  LAL  MEENA:  SHRI  A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN:  SHRI  RAVNEET  SINGH:  SHRIMATI  P.  K.  SREEMATHI TEACHER:  SHRI  ASADUDDIN  OWAISI:  SHRIMATI  K.  MARAGATHAM:  SHRI  R. DHRUVA  NARAYANA:  SHRI  BHEEMRAO  B.PATIL:  SHRI  SANJAY  HARIBHAY JADHAV: SHRI DALPAT SINGH PARASTE:

## (OIH)

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has procured an increased quantity of pulses from the farmers and has also entered into import contracts in view of their shortage and rise in prices;
- (b) if so, the details thereof indicating the quantum of pulses procured and imported during the last one year and the current year;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that a huge quantity of imported pulses is stuck at the ports, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken for its early release in markets;
- (d) whether the Government has requested the States to present their requirement of pulses, if so, the details thereof and response of the States thereto; and
- (e) the  details  of  other  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  artificial  scarcity  and spiraling of prices of pulses?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

## THE MINISTER FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## (SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

- (a) & (b) : Yes, Madam. Domestic procurement of pulses  has  been undertaken  including  from farmers. Till now, a total of 50,424.07 MT of Tur and Urad from Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2015-16, and 11,754.06 MT of Chana and Masur from Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2016-17 has already been procured. In addition, imports have been contracted for about 13,500 MT of Tur and 12,500 MT of Urad respectively.
- (c) : There has been a strict vigilance by the Government to prevent importers from misusing the facilities of Customs Bonded Warehouse facility. Domestic searches and surveys have also been conducted on a number of importers, traders and financiers engaged in pulses trade.
- (d): Yes, Madam. Till now, request for allocation of pulses from buffer stock has been received from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan.
- (e) : The requisite details are at Annexure .

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2706 FOR 10.05.2016 REGARDING SHORTAGE OF PULSES.

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1. Export of all pulses is banned except kabuli channa and up to 10,000 MTs in organic pulses and lentils.
2. Import of pulses are allowed at zero import duty.
3. Stock limit on pulses extended till 30.9.2016.
4. Government imported 5000 MT of Tur from Malawi/Mozambique and allocated it to States for retail sale to consumers to improve availability and to moderate prices.
5. MSP (including bonus) raised for kharif pulses for Tur and Urad and Moong. MSP also raised for Rabi pulses for Gram and Masoor.
6. Government has approved creation of buffer stock of 1.5 lakh MT of pulses for effective market intervention.
7. Government  has  decided  to  immediately  release  10,000  MT  of  pulses  from  the  buffer  stock (consisting  of  8,000  MT  of  Tur  and  2,000  MT  of  Urad)  to  States/UTs  at  subsidized  rates  for retailing by them at not more than Rs 120/- per kg to improve availability and stabilise prices.
8. Regulatory  measures  by    Securities  &  Exchange  Board  of  India  (SEBI)  on  Chana  contracts including increase in the margin requirement to discourage speculation and to moderate the price volatility in forward market and close monitoring by SEBI
9. Setting  up  of  a  Group  of  Officers  for  regular  monitoring  and  exchange  of  information  on hoarding, cartelization etc.
10. Strict enforcement of the Essential Commodities (EC) Act, 1955 and the Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential (PBMMSE) Act, 1980

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