The government will re-launch the 'fair price programme' for selling foodstuff for the marginalised people from the current month, officials said.
The ministry of food recently took the decision in this connection which gave directives to the Directorate General (DG) of the Directorate General of Food (DGoF) for implementing the programme aiming to provide rice and atta at subsidised rates.
The government, as part of its electoral manifesto, has committed to providing rice and atta to the limited-income group of people at affordable prices.
Under the government's social safety net programme, the food officials will sell rice and atta in the capital, divisional towns and all the districts to the consumers who have cards provided by the government.
The number of card holders in the country is now more than 0.94 million, said a deputy director of the DGoF.
Though the programme was supposed to start from April 1, it is yet to start as the selection of dealers has not been completed up until now due to some official procedures.
The DGoF has asked all food officials in the capital, divisional towns and districts to select dealers as early as possible and start the programme within the current month.
"We have directed the food offices concerned in the capital, divisional towns and districts to implement the programme after selecting dealers," a high food official of the DGoF told the FE Sunday.
The fair price programme was first launched in 2010 and continued until 2012. It was discontinued last year as the prices of rice and atta were stable at the retail level, the food official added.
Under the programme, a fair price card holder could purchase 15 kg rice and 5 kg atta once a month. Price of per kg of rice has been fixed at Tk 24 and atta at Tk 22.
The officials of the Chief Controller of Dhaka Rationing and district food officials started selecting dealers.
In the capital the number of approved dealers is 450 while each of the districts will have 5 dealers.
"We held a meeting on implementing the progamme. We are hopeful of finalising the dealers' lists soon. After selecting the dealers we will be able to start the programme within the next few days," Chief Controller of Dhaka Rationing Sukumar Chandra Roy told the FE.
