Soon, you can get low-priced wheat flour from ration shops

Bangalore: Karnataka is going the Tamil Nadu way to provide wheat atta for the common man at a lower price.

The wheat flour for your chapati will be available through public distribution system (PDS) from January 1, 2011.

"In December, we will float tenders for procurement. From January, we will distribute wheat flour packets through fair price shops. It will help families below poverty line and also above poverty line," said food and civil supplies minister V Somanna.

Somanna, who chaired a high-level meeting of officials on Friday, said, "In Tamil Nadu and other states, they are distributing wheat flour under PDS scheme by adding iron and iodine content to wheat and we too will go for fortification of the wheat flour. Initially, we will distribute the flour packets in Bangalore, Bangalore rural and urban districts. Later, we will extend it all over the state. It will not cost much for the state to turn wheat into flour," he said.

"We have 38,000 tonnes of rice and 40,000 tonnes of wheat stock. So to bring down the price of food grains in the open market, we will release all wheat and rice to the market. We will distribute 50kg of rice at Rs9 per kg and 50kg of wheat at Rs7.20 per kg. By holding 'akki mela', we will distribute rice and wheat for all above and below poverty line families.
Anyone can go and get food grains in fair price shops. We will hold the melas in all districts and at taluk levels," he said.

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Replying to a question, he said for identification purpose, anybody can get APL cards from the food and civil supplies department.

"In Bangalore City, we have distributed 20 lakh APL and BPL cards. Most of the card holders have gas connection, but still they are taking kerosene under PDS scheme. To make the department more efficient, we have reorganised the department in Bangalore district," said Somanna.

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