Raids have helped bring down dal prices, says minister Dinesh

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Sunday claimed that the raids against hoarded pulses being conducted by the State government had helped bring down the prices of pulses, including tur dal, in the State.

Addressing reporters, he said the prices of pulses have come down in the range of Rs 23 to Rs 40 per kg, depending on the quality. And the prices are expected to further come down in the coming days as the government will soon be releasing the stock confiscated, to the open market. The prices are expected to come down before Deepavali , he added.

He said the government has,  so far, confiscated 2.35 lakh quintal of pulses worth about Rs 353 crore by conducting raids across the State. The traders were hoarding pulses in the wake of increase in their prices. One has to have a license to stock more than 50 quintal of pulses. The government has, so far, conducted 1,308 raids with an aim to bring down the prices, he added.

Gundu Rao, who conducted a meeting with the department officials at the district level through video conference, said, he has directed the officials to e-auction the entire stock before November 9. About 34,000 registered traders operating in Karnataka can take part in the auction. The traders who buy the stock through the e-auction will have to sell within three days in the State, he added.