Ranchi: The food and civil supplies department is mulling to replace palm oil with mustard in the public distribution system (PDS) to improve the nutritional quality of items supplied to beneficiaries.Food and civil supplies minister Irfan Ansari said that the move is being considered as mustard oil is widely used in the state and is a healthier alternative to palm oil. The proposal, however, is currently in the discussion stage, officials said.Authorities are assessing modalities such as pricing, availability and supply logistics before taking a final decision. Once approved, the change would benefit 2.69 crore PDS beneficiaries across the state.Ansari said, “The govt is considering supplying one litre of mustard oil to the beneficiaries per month under the PDS. The state would need to spend about Rs 900 crore annually to implement the plan.”Ansari, who is also the health minister, claimed that the current distribution of palm oil is causing heart, liver and kidney ailments.“If we manage to rollout the new plan, lakhs of families who depend on PDS will be benefited health-wise,” he said. Under the PDS, beneficiaries currently receive various types of rice, dal, salt, sugar, chana (gram) and oil.The minister, however, said that funding the move remains a concern as they don’t have the required budget. “We will need central assistance to carry out the change. I will soon visit Delhi to discuss the issue with my counterpart in the Centre,” he said.Sources said the proposed shift may also support local farmers if mustard procurement is increased to meet demand, potentially strengthening the rural economy.
