In the backdrop of spiralling food prices and reports of foodgrain rotting in godowns across the country,the Delhi government has managed to get a pat on the back from the Centre for controlling wheat prices in the city through its atta scheme launched last November. According to senior officials,the Delhi Food and Supplies departments work has been appreciated by Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Sharad Pawar,who has asked other states to follow its model of lifting wheat,converting it into fortified wheat flour or atta and then selling it at subsidised rates. In a letter dated June 7,the minister said wheat prices in Delhi have been controlled and along with other states like Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan,Delhi has done well by lifting wheat from godowns of the Food Corporation of India under the Open Sales Scheme initiated by the Centre last year. The Union government had made 20 lakh tonne of wheat and 10 lakh tonne of rice available to distribute at subsidised rates. We realised people do not buy wheat from fair price shops as it has to be then taken to the mill to be ground into flour. We decided to launch the atta scheme in which the government could sell packed and fortified atta at cheaper rates to make it more popular, a senior Delhi government official said. The Delhi government has managed to sell about one lakh metric tonne of wheat flour at Rs 13.90 per kg till date.
