Supply hits Telangana’s special dal counters

Only five out of 10 counters in Hyderabad are functioning for the full day, while the rest operate for a few hours in the morning with stocks getting exhausted within no time due to heavy rush of consumers.

In mandal headquarters, the special counters worked for just three days after their launch last week with millers stopping supplies due to shortage of stocks.

The government is trying to procure stocks from other states and countries to run special counters, but higher rates of over Rs 180 per kg quoted by traders has become a stumbling block.

Last week, the civil supplies minister Etela Rajender convened a meeting with tur dal millers and traders, who agreed to supply tur dal for Rs 135 per kg through special counters at every mandal headquarter across the state.

While the government opened 10 counters in Hyderabad in Rythu Bazaar and two to three counters in each district, the millers were asked to open special counters in each mandal headquarter for the purpose.

However, the millers failed to open the counters in a majority of the mandals so far and even in a few mandals they had opened, they functioned for two-three days and later, closed down due to shortage of stocks.

Of 443 mandals, the counters were opened in less than 100 mandals and only 60 of them are functioning for a few hours in the morning. Only 1 kg of tur dal is being sold through these special counters per head.

Consumers are asked to produce any identity card at the counter, their details are being noted down in the registers to ensure that there are no repeat buyers. Even after imposing so many restrictions, the counters are not able to cater to the needs of consumers.

“The government is ready to supply subsidised tur dal through special counters in all the mandals till the prices subside in the retail market but adequate stocks are not available in the state. We are trying to procure stocks from other states but there is a shortage everywhere in the country. We have given contracts to procure stocks from Myanmar. But it would be difficult to meet the demand with imports,” said Mr Rajender.