Wheat at 2 per kg, rice at 3 to be provided till 2018

The prices of subsidised wheat and rice, given at  2 and 3 per kg respectively to 81 crore people in the country, will not be reviewed till 2018, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ramvilas Paswan said there was a provision for revision of the prices of foodgrains every three years in the National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013.

“However, we have decided to continue the present scheme till 2018,” he said during Question Hour.

Under the scheme, rice is supplied at  3 per kg, wheat at  2 per kg and coarse grains at 1 per kg.Paswan also said it was the responsibility of the state governments to ensure that no one remains in hunger and the Centre was doing its best to properly implement the scheme.

The Minister said in order to augment the storage capacity in the country, the government formulated Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme in 2008—2009 for construction of storage capacity through private entrepreneurs, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and state government agencies.

Under the scheme, investment and construction is done by the private investor or state agencies. As return for investment, FCI guarantees hiring of the godown constructed by a private party for 10 years.