Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder today said the government will introduce identity card soon for selling food grains under the Open Market Sale (OMS), a government subsidized food selling programme, run by the Department of Food.
“The government will introduce the card for food grains selling operation under OMS in line with the instructions given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina”, he told the journalists while concluding a surprised visit of ongoing OMS selling at Kopalir Bazar under Porsha upazila here.
After introducing the card, he said, a particular person will be allowed to buy OMS rice once in a week, adding “even the card also will curb recurring purchasing tendency of a particular person and the system would not deprive many other from this food purchase facilities.”
Replying to a query, whether the government will import rice from abroad to reduce rice price, the food minister said the country has lot of stock and there is no rice scarcity. Even the Aman yield was also good, he said, adding the Boro farming also begins and the farmers will not get fair price if excess import would take place.
Explaining the situation of the lower income people, Majumder said the government is providing rice under OMS at a cost of Taka 30, per kg while the food friendly programme (FFP) also was started from March 1.
Under the FFP, a total of 50 lakh families will get monthly 30 kgs rice at a cost of Taka 15, per kg.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Porsha Salma Begum, Upazila parishad chairman Shah Monjur Morshed Chowdhury and other upazila food officials, among others, attended during this time.
