OMS of rice, atta at district level from February 15

The government will resume selling of rice and atta (flour) under Open Market Sale (OMS) programme at the district level from February 15 next, officials said.
It will also allocate an increased amount of rice in the divisional cities and city corporations.
"We will restart selling rice and atta in the district level from February 15 next. We will also allocate increased amount of rice for selling in the divisional cities and city corporations considering the growing demand," Sukumar Chandra Roy, chief controller of Dhaka Rationing told the FE Thursday.
The government has introduced OMS programme as part of its commitment to provide food at a subsidised rate to the poor people.  The programme has got tremendous response from the people especially the lower income group ones.
At present coarse variety of rice is being sold between Tk 33- Tk 34 per kg in retail market that attracted more consumers of lower income group to buy it from OMS.
The allocation of rice in the divisional cities and city corporations is one tonne of rice and one tonne of atta under OMS programme. And the allocation of rice will be one and half tonnes from February 15, 2014 for those areas.  For the district level the allocation of rice will be one tonne and atta one tonne.
At present 40- truck dealers are selling rice and atta under OMS programme in the capital. And from February 15, the number will be 80 for the capital while for Tejagon circle it will be 10 from 7.   
The official said if there are nine wards in a district then there will be nine shop dealers and each of them (dealers) will get one tonne of rice and one tonne of atta for sale.
Similarly if there are 12 wards in a district then there will be similar number of dealers. And each of them will get one tonne of rice and one tonne of atta.
However, Natore, Naogaon, Joypurhat, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Panchaghar, Chaipainawabgnj, Bogra, Dinajpur, Pabna, Sirajganj and Thakurgaon will be excluded from OMS programme as the Aman procurement programme is going on there.
The food official said except Saturday, rice and atta are being sold from 9 am to 5 pm throughout the week.
At present per kg of rice is being sold at Tk 24 while atta (flour) at Tk 22 under OMS programme. Each of the consumers can purchase five kg of rice and five kg of atta separately.