State seeks info on poor quality dal

Jaipur: Rajasthan has sought clarification on the nearly 1,800 metric ton (MT) of tur (arhar) and urad dal allotted to the state after the quality of the dal allotted was found to be very poor. The Union food and consumer affairs ministry informed the state government in April of the allotment of 1,000 metric ton of tur dal and 795 metric ton of urad dal as part of its efforts to rein in spiralling dal prices. The Union ministry had stockpiled 55,000 tons of pulses (26,000 tons imported) to control the soaring prices of dal.Sources said the allotment was made to the state at Rs 68 per kg for unmilled tur and Rs 82 per kg for urad which could be sold to the people through fair price shops and public distribution system at Rs 120 per kg adding on the transportation cost and adjusting waste during milling and processing. The state government had appointed the State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation as the nodal agency. Corporation invited expression of interest from the mill owners. But the poor quality of dal and high amount of waste during milling has the mill owners complaining.Sources said the wastage was found to be very high at 32%. Another reason for the state government developing cold feet is allotted variety of dal - tur and urad - is not much in demand in the state. Sources said the dal which is part of the staple diet in the desert state is moong and chana dal.The state government has now written to the Centre seeking clarification. It asked about the quality of the allotted dal and the percentage of wastage. Besides, if the quality of the dal from Food Corporation of India was found to be below par, the other options like lifting of the dal from any other place and the time required for the new process? What is the standard adopted by the cCntre for the quality of pulses and the percentage of waste allowed for other states among others.