Poor to get rice at Tk 22

File photo Star Online Report

The government on Monday decided to start selling rice at Tk 22 per kg through cards on February 25 for around 25 lakh poor people across the country.
The decision was taken at a Food Planning and Monitoring Unit meeting at the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management with Minister Abdur Razzaque in the chair.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and secretaries of ministries concerned attended the meeting.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the food minister said the quantity of food grains storage in the country is estimated at 8.67 lakh metric tons, which is adequate.
He said the government have launched the programme in a bid to increase rice supply in the market to keep its price stable.
The price of rice is yet to come down in the market due to poor supply, Razzaque observed.
The minister said the Food Department would prepare a list upon consultation with local people's representatives in this regard.
The government will continue monitoring the market price and take necessary steps.
The people, who do not have specific sources of income and are not included in the government's safety net programme, are eligible for the programme.