The Union government launched packaged wheat flour at a subsidized rate that can be bought by all consumers, a move to keep a lid on food prices during the festive season when demand for commodities rises.

• The plan involves releasing quarter of a million tonne of state-owned wheat to Kendriya Bhandar, a network of cooperative general stores, and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation.
• These agencies will sell the flour, branded Bharat Atta, at a cut price of Rs. 27.50 a kilo, against a market price of Rs. 32-34 a kg. Flour sold through Kendriya Bhandar was earlier priced at Rs. 29.50. 
• The subsidised flour will be available in stores run by Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED, NCCF and government cooperative outlets as well as food vans run by NAFED and NCCF. The food minister flagged off 100 such vans .
• These state agencies are getting wheat milled by firms tendered for the process. It usually costs large wheat millers ?1.80 a kilo to grind grain into flour.