Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said, the government has decided not to hike prices of foodgrains sold through Public Distribution System (PDS) for one more year.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi on the achievements of the Ministry during four years, Mr Paswan said, foodgrains at ration shops are supplied at subsidised rate. He said, rice is being provided at 3 rupees per kilogram, wheat at 2 rupees and coarse grains at one rupee per kilogram under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the Ministry has decided to keep the Central issue price under it unchanged for one more year.

He said, NFSA has been implemented in all States benefitting around 81 crore population. He said, the food subsidy has now been increased from 1.13 lakh crore rupees in 2014-15 to 1.43 lakh crore rupees.

Mr Paswan said, linking ration cards with Aadhaar has helped the government detect 2.62 bogus ration cards across the country and plug 17 thousand crore rupees leakages.

He also said, during Rabi Marketing Season 2018-19, 347 lakh tonnes of wheat was procured which is the highest in last five years while during Kharif Marketing Season-2016-17, a record quantity of over 381 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured.

Mr Paswan also said, the government will make hallmarking along with carat count mandatory for the gold jewellery sold in the country.