Andalib Akhter / AMN /
Union Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha Friday directed all Departments to keep a close watch on availability and prices of essential commodities and work in close coordination with States to control price rise.
He reviewed the prices of essential commodities especially Onions and Pulses at a high-level meeting with Secretaries of Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Food & Public Distribution, Commerce, Expenditure and others Friday.
At the meeting it was observed that Prices of other essential commodities like cereals, edible oils, sugar and potato are under control. Recent measures taken by the Central Government like increase in minimum export price of Onions, and extending stock limits and import of 2000 tonnes of onions have reigned in the prices of onions which are showing a declining trend.
As regards pulses, the stock limits have been extended upto 30.09.2016, zero import duty has been extended by another year and Central Government resorted to import of 5000 tonnes of pulses to increase their availability and bring down the prices. Out of this, 3250 MTs of imported Tur dal has already arrived and the remaining stock of 1750 MTs will be arriving shortly. An additional import of 2000 tonnes of Tur dal is being made to augment supplies and moderate prices of pulses.
As already decided, Kendriya Bhandar would be lifting imported Tur dal and would be supplying at its
100 locations in Delhi. Safal would also be supplying the imported Tur dal through its 300 outlets. Other States have also been allotted imported pulses as per their requirement. Instructions were also issued for enforcing stock limits and taking effective action against hoarding and black-marketing of essential commodities, especially pulses. The States are again requested to intensify their efforts in this direction.
As part of long-term measures to encourage farmers to produce more pulses, Government has increased the Minimum Support Price of Tur and Urad to Rs.4625 per quintal and Moong to Rs.4850 per quintal. Food Corporation of India has been mandated to procure pulses to ensure minimum support price to farmers and help build up a buffer stock for effective market intervention to control prices of pulses.