As arhar gets pricier, govt pushes chana dal

As the prices of the more popular arhar dal shoot up, the government wants you to eat at least a fistful of chana dal every day. Chana and aalu (potato) together can help cook nutritious meals on all 365 days of the year, says consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal in a promotional video, where he has appealed to all Indians to increase the consumption of chana dal.

In the video, Goyal lists out the nutritional benefits of chana, or chickpea, and the traditional recipes like dhokla and litti chokha that are made using whole chana, chana dal and its flour. An animation video of the ministry advises Indians to eat one fistful of chana every day to stay healthy.

Despite various price regulation measures, the prices of arhar dal continue to rule between ₹180 and ₹200 a kg. This has led the government to promote consumption of chana dal, which is much cheaper and is available in abundance. Ahead of the festival season, when demand for vegetarian food increases due to various Hindu festivals, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has started distribution of chana at a subsidised rate of ₹60/kg this week, under the brand name Bharat Dal.