Reforms in the Food Sector will be Taken up on Priority Stocks in the Central Pool are Adequate to Meet any Exigency

The Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley while presenting his maiden Budget in Lok Sabha today said that the Government is committed to reforms in the food sector. Restructuring FCI, reducing transportation and distribution losses and efficacy of PDS would be taken up on priority the Finance Minister added.

Shri Jaitley said that the Government is also committed to provide wheat and rice at reasonable prices to the weaker sections of the society. Even if due to inadequate rainfall, there is a marginal decline in agriculture production, stocks in the Central pool are adequate to meet any exigency he added. The Finance Minister said that the Government shall, when required, undertake open market sales to keep prices under control.