Price of rice to come down as OMS, FFP start: Sadhan
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder today said that the price of rice would reduce in the markets as 'Food Friendly Programme (FFP)' and sale of rice under the open market sale (OMS) began in the country.
He said this while talking to the journalists after the inauguration of rice-flour distribution among the beneficiaries on the Chapra Mosque premises in city's Azimpur area under the FFP and OMS programme started across the country today.
The food minister further said that three lakh metric tonnes of rice will be given every month under OMS and FFP.
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Currently, the country has a storage of about 20 lakh tons of food grains, he said, adding that more wheat and rice will be imported in the days to come.
Mentioning that there is no shortage of rice in the country, he warned all concerned against making abnormal profit in rice.
Otherwise, strict action will be taken against those who make such illegal profit, he added.
The minister said that strict monitoring is being conducted in this regard.
The government has increased the number of OMS dealers three times for mitigating public sufferings and the number of OMS centres has also been raised to 2363 from 813.
According to officials, at each OMS center, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) cardholders will get 5 kg of rice twice a month at a price of Taka 30 per kg while common people who do not have TCB card will be given the same amount of rice against NID card.
Under the FFP, over 50 lakh families across the country will get 30 kg of rice per month at a price of Taka 15 per kg.
The FFP or 'Khaddo Bandhob Karmasuchi' and the OMS will continue alongside selling rice and flour among TCB cardholders at fair prices.
Five kilograms (kg) of rice and 2 kg of flour are being sold per person through OMS.
Rice will be sold openly in 50 trucks in Dhaka city and under the programme, 2 metric tons of rice per truck will be sold daily under OMS.
Rice will be distributed in the 'Food Friendly Programme for the next three months of September, October and November.
