The Food and Civil Supplies department will begin selling pulses at subsidised rates under the public distribution system (PDS) from February. The programme will be launched here on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said one kg of green gram per family will be made available to BPL ration cardholders in February.
The programme will be launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and is in line with his Independence Day announcement that not only carbohydrates, but also proteins will be provided under PDS. The department will provide tur dal in March. Provision of green gram and tur dal will be alternated every three months April onwards.  Green gram and tur dal will be sold at Rs 33 and Rs 40 per kg, respectively.

Siddaramaiah will also launch an online system for applying for BPL ration cards. Providing ration cards has been brought under the Sakaala scheme. Once applications are scrutinised, cards will have to be delivered to the applicants within 25 days, Khader said.

As many as 50,000 applications have been received for APL cards after online registration was opened on January 9. The department has temporarily put on hold its proposal of providing cash coupons, instead of foodgrains, for BPL cardholders.

“We have not finalised the proposal. We are preparing plans so that there are no flaws in its implementation,” he said.

The department is planning to provide the option for BPL ration cardholders of redeeming cash coupons for rice and other foodgrains at general provision stores, if they are not satisfied with the quality of rations.