Bharat Dal: What is it? Check out the specifics of this Modi government project, which turns into the best-selling pulse brand

Bharat Dal: The government started selling chana dal at subsidized prices under the “Bharat Dal” brand as part of its attempts to keep consumer food costs under control. Bharat Dal, which costs Rs 60 per kg for a 1 kilogram box and Rs 55 per kg for a 30 kg pack, has become the most popular brand in the nation very fast.

Where can I locate Bharat Dal?
As to ET, Bharat Dal may be easily found at several retail establishments overseen by entities like NAFED, NCCF, Kendriya Bhandar, and Safal.It is also readily available for purchase from a variety of e-commerce sites. In order to improve accessibility even further, state governments might purchase chana dal to be distributed via businesses and cooperatives under their supervision for welfare programs.

The government’s efforts to keep prices stable
To maintain steady pulse prices, the government maintains stockpiles of essential pulses such as chana, tur, urad, moong, and masur in the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF). In order to manage pricing, these stocks are selectively released. In order to boost local availability and maintain reasonable costs, the government has also eliminated import charges on tur and urad until March 31, 2024, and lowered import duties on masur to zero. In order to discourage hoarding, the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 also established stock limitations on tur and urad.
The government’s ‘Bharat’ labeled chana dal has become very popular among customers, according to Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh. When it was first introduced in October 2023, it immediately gained a fourth of the market thanks to its cheaper pricing of Rs 60 per kg as opposed to other brands that were charging around Rs 80 per kg.
Singh emphasized the noteworthy reaction to Bharat-branded chana dal, which now accounts for around 1.8 lakh tons per month of the country’s chana dal consumption. Over 2.28 lakh tons of Bharat brand chana dal have been sold since its introduction, with an average of 45,000 tonnes sold each month.
The Bharat brand of chana dal, which was first offered at 100 retail locations, is now distributed at 13,000 permanent and mobile retail locations in 139 cities across 21 states. Singh emphasized that by indirectly affecting the pricing of other pulses via buffer inventories, this strategy has been crucial in controlling pulse inflation.
With this effort, the government, in collaboration with five state cooperatives, Nafed, NCCF, and Kendriya Bhandar, is distributing chana dal for the first time under the Bharat brand. These organizations get raw chana from the government, process it, and market it as Bharat. At now, the government keeps 15 lakh tons of chana as a buffer stock.
Launch of Bharat Rice
The public may now purchase “Bharat Rice” in retail stores thanks to the Modi administration. Under the ‘Bharat Rice’ brand, five LMT (lakh metric tons) of rice have been set aside for sale. These agencies include NAFED, NCCF, and Kendriya Bhandar. Bharat Rice is offered in 5 kilogram and 10 kg bags, with a retail price of Rs 29 per kg.
Bharat Rice will be marketed via physical stores and mobile vans run by these three central cooperative entities to guarantee accessibility. Furthermore, there are plans to make it accessible via e-commerce sites and other retail chains.
The slow demand for rice among bulk buyers under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) is being addressed by this program. The government wants to spark public interest by allowing retail sales of FCI rice, building on the popularity of other basic goods like “Bharat Atta,” which is sold for Rs. 27.50 per kg, and “Bharat Chana,” which is offered for Rs. 60 per kg via similar channels.