Staff Reporter :
The government will begin open market sale (OMS) programme from September 1 and people could buy at least 10kgs of rice at a subsidised price of Tk30 per kilogram (kg).
At the same time, over 50,10,509 marginal families at union level across the country will be given 30 kilograms of rice at the rate of Tk15 per kg per month under the Food Friendly Programme (FFP).
This time, the government has decided to expand the number of OMS centres from 811 to 2,363, Prime Minister’s Office sources said.
Some 811 centres are currently engaged in selling the staple foodgrain at a subsidised price, now more people could procure rice following extension of the centres, which would help the people get relief of hassle to some extent. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently announced that TCB card holders would get 10 kilograms of rice at a subsidised price.
She also directed to sell rice on priority basis to TCB card holders under the OMS programme.
Earlier on August 14, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder had said that at least four crore people of 50 lakh families under the FFP would get the facility across the country, which would help to control the rice price in the market.
The rice of FFP will be sold at Tk15 per kg instead of Tk10 this time.
The programme will run simultaneously in district towns, municipalities and city areas under the FFP of the government, headded.
The minister hoped that price of rice in the market will come under control through these programmes as people will get adequate supply of rice in the market due to the programmes.
