CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Sunday wrote to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan, saying offloading surplus stock at high prices to NGOs in the name of relief is both "unethical and shocking".
Her remarks came in reference to a policy declared by Paswan's ministry regarding permission to NGOs to buy rice and wheat directly from the FCI godowns for relief work at a reserve price fixed by the government without going through e-auctions.
"The PIB release of April 8 with this information did not however disclose the fixed price at which NGOs are permitted to buy, which it should have given," Karat said in the letter.
"As far as wheat is concerned the fixed price is Rs 21.50 per kg. The price of rice is Rs 22.50 per kg. These prices are extremely high. Even the wholesale price data available on the website of the Ministry shows that the open market prices of wheat are lower in many markets than what is being offered by the Government to NGOs .
