NEW DELHI: Over five lakh metric tonnes of wheat was lifted by Kendriya Bhandar from Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the entire quantity was sold as “Bharat Atta”, the government said on Wednesday.
The government was asked whether it was aware that under Open Market Sale Scheme for Domestic purpose (OMSS-D), about five lakh metric tonnes of wheat was allocated to Kendriya Bhandar for sale as Bharat Atta to the common consumers at subsidised rates and whether it sold only nine lakh bags through its retail shops during the period from 2023 to January 2025 against the target fixed for selling about 4 crore bags of 10 kg Bharat Atta manufactured from the allotted wheat.
Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, said that Bharat Atta was launched on November 6, 2023 with a view to provide atta (wheat flour) to general consumers at subsidised rates.
Under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic), Bharat Atta was distributed through Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED, NCCF, and retail partners like SAFAL.
In Phase-I, 5,09,000 MT of wheat was allocated to Kendriya Bhandar, with 5,07,399 MT lifted and fully sold. The initiative aimed to ensure wide availability across the country. In response to queries on a potential CAG audit or CBI investigation into the scheme, the government stated that no such proposal is currently
under consideration.