Bharat rice at subsidised rate - Here's all you need to know

The government has launched ‘Bharat rice’ at a subsidised rate of Rs 29 per kilogram. The development holds significance as it comes amid a 15 per cent rise in retail prices of the grain in the last one year and aims to provide relief to consumers.

The subsidised rice will be made available in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir by Sarveshwar Foods, which has been designated for distribution of rice under Bharat brand.

Bharat brand is a central government's initiative to sell high-quality pulses, rice and other essential commodities directly to the general public at subsidised prices.

Pulses and atta are already being sold under the Bharat brand at various places across India.
 
In each kg of Bharat rice, there will be 5 per cent of broken rice.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will provide 5 lakh tonne of rice to two cooperatives — National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) — as well as retail chain Kendriya Bhandar in the first phase.

These agencies will further pack the rice in 5 kg and 10 kg packs and retail through their outlets under the ‘Bharat’ brand. The rice will also be sold through e-commerce platforms.

The government has resorted to retail sales of FCI rice after it received a lukewarm response for sale of rice to bulk users at the same rate through the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).