The food ministry is facing a dilemma over whether to resume special open market sale (OMS) of rice at Tk 10 per kg or continue with existing normal OMS service, officials said.
To this effect, it has recently sought opinion from the finance ministry over whether to resume special OMS programme for Tk 10-kg coarse rice or continue with the ongoing normal OMS programme, they added.
When contacted, secretary of the food ministry Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum said, "We operated the special OMS programme till June during the lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. Currently, we are operating normal OMS programme due to withdrawal of the lockdown."
She, however, said the country is almost back to normal activities. "We have sought opinion from the finance ministry over whether we will resume special OMS or continue with ongoing OMS service as the special OMS programme had been operated according to the directions by the prime minister with a view to helping the poor people during the shutdown due to the spread of coronavirus outbreak."
For this, the food ministry has recently sought necessary opinion in this regard, the secretary added.
She mentioned that currently the food ministry is selling rice at Tk 30 per kg and flour at Tk 18 per kg under the existing normal OMS programme.
A senior food ministry official said special open market sale (OMS) of course rice in Dhaka city is likely to be launched again with an aim to ensure food for urban poor amid Covid-19 pandemic.
The prime minister on March 25, 2020 declared her decision to fix the price of OMS coarse rice at Tk 10 per kg instead of Tk 30 at consumer's level to help the poor people during the coronavirus pandemic.
The special OMS programme operated for a three-month period between April and June in the city corporation and pourasava areas.
During the period, some 69,108 tonnes of course rice were sold to the extreme poor people in city corporations and municipality areas.
A total of 2,043,200 (over 2.0 million) cards were provided till June last under the special OMS programme across the country. As such, some 40,864 tonnes of rice would be required against all cardholders for each month, according to a food ministry document.
Currently, some 0.15 million tonnes of rice have been allocated in the projected budget under the OMS sector for the current fiscal year.
On the other hand, approximately 0.5 million tonnes of rice will be needed against issued cards (20 kg rice against one card for one month) for selling OMS rice among the urban poor.
The food department has requested to begin ale of special OMS rice until prevention of the spread of Covid-19 across the country during the current fiscal year, the document reads.
The livelihood activities came to a halt during the lockdown enforced to curb the infection of Covid-19 across the country, according to the food ministry.
The special OMS continued till June which was operated by the food department as per the declaration of the prime minister for unemployed people, lower income groups including transport workers, day labourers, van-pullers, street vendors and rickshaw-pullers etc. in urban areas, a senior official of the food ministry said.
The special OMS programme is only for cardholders who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Normal OMS is operated only for floating or general people. It is now being operated in city corporation and district areas, a food department director said.
For some days, the food ministry had suspended special OMS after receiving allegations of irregularities. The government has taken stern action against the persons who were involved in irregularities of rice earmarked for OMS.
Some public representatives or officials were involved in corruption and irregularities amid the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a source.
Later, the special OMS programme started according to card and list on April 17, the director said.
A finance ministry official said they have received a letter regarding OMS from the food ministry. No decision has yet been taken in this regard.
