The prices of the pulse increased by upto Rs 20 a kg this week. And with four different quality of arhar dal available in the market, the best quality pulse touched a whooping price of Rs 70 a kg. Even it is sold at Rs 75 at some retail markets.
In the previous week it was selling at Rs 55 a kg.
“Before four to five days, it (dal) was selling at Rs 55 but now it reached Rs 70 a kg which certainly affect us. The price rise has hit us hard as we can not afford such a huge price for the pulse”, said Sanjay Kumar Sahoo, a customer.
“Out of the four qualities of arhar dal available, one was selling at Rs 7,000 per quintal while today it touched Rs 7,100. Another one which was available at Rs 6,000 per quintal, today selling at Rs 6,100. So we are selling the good quality dal to the customers at Rs 70 to 72 per kg which is expected to increase further”, said Abhay Kumar Sahoo, a retailer.
As per complaints, coalition between some government officials and the traders has lead to the rise in prices thus by forcing the common people to wipe off the pulse from their shopping lists.
Meanwhile a story is doing the rounds on the corruption in Arhar dal purchase and its distribution.
School children along with the teachers have showed their dissatisfaction over the poor quality of dal provided to schools under the mid-day meal scheme.
“We are getting very poor quality dal which is completely inedible. Even half of the students are not taking the mid-day meal in the school due to the rotten dal. We have apprised the BDO on this but found no result”, said Nirmala Sahani, a teacher of the Police U.P. School, Phulbani.