The Centre on Wednesday expanded its subsidised pulses programme, adding chana whole and masur dal under the 'Bharat' brand in a bid to check rising prices.

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, who launched Phase II of the initiative, said chana whole will be retailed at Rs 58 per kg and masur dal at Rs 89 per kg through cooperative networks NCCF, NAFED, and Kendriya Bhandar.

"We're offloading our buffer stock maintained under the Price Stabilisation Fund at subsidised rates," Joshi said.

The government has allocated 3 lakh tonnes of chana and 68,000 tonnes of moong to the cooperatives.

Ministers of State for Food and Consumers Affairs B L Verma and Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya were present at the launch.

NCCF Managing Director Anice Chandra Joseph said distribution will initially begin in Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, with nationwide expansion planned within 10 days.

"Chana whole has been added under the subsidised sale programme as there is a huge demand for it. We are in talks with e-commerce platforms and retail outlets to enhance accessibility," she added.

The move follows October 2023's Phase I launch, which covered chana dal, moong dal, and moong sabut, along with rice and wheat flour.

Current rates under Phase I stand at Rs 30/kg for wheat flour (up from Rs 27.50), Rs 34/kg for rice (up from Rs 29), Rs 70/kg for chana dal (up from Rs 60), while moong dal and moong sabut remain at Rs 107/kg and Rs 93/kg, respectively.The government is also maintaining price interventions for onion at Rs 35/kg and tomato at Rs 65/kg.

The Union Minister hoped for better pulse output this year as the government hiked the support prices of pulses substantially.