Issues notification to stop stocking of pulses, edible oil, edible oilseeds till Sept 30 2016
Issues notification to stop stocking of pulses, edible oil, edible oilseeds till Sept 30 2016
Amid soaring prices of pulses and increasing hoarding, the state government has issued a notification to stop the hoarding of pulses, edible oil and edible oilseeds till September 30 next year.
Deepak Kapoor, secretary of food and civil supply, said the move would help stop hoarding of these items. Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded to make available all pulses though public distribution system at subsidised prices.
The price of pulses crossed Rs 200 per kilo in the retail market, which has created unrest among common people across the nation. The Narendra Modi-led Union government has already issued anti-hoarding notification through which it has restricted stocking of pulses and edible oil to a certain limit.
Along the lines of the notification issued by the Centre, the state government too issued a notification on Monday to stop hoarding. The decision was taken after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis instructed officials to take action against hoarders.
Earlier, in April 2015, the state had lifted the ban on hoarding of pulses and oilseeds. On Monday, it called off the previous order and once again imposed ban on hoarding. According to the notification, the wholesale and retail traders can hold a stock of 3,500 and 200 quintal of pulses respectively in ‘A’ class municipal corporation limit, whereas it will be 2,500 and 150 quintal and 1,500 and 150 quintal respectively in other class municipal corporation and municipal council limits respectively.
The wholesale and retail traders cannot stock more than 2,000 and 200 quintal edible oilseed in ‘A’ class municipal corporation limit and not more than 800 and 100 quintal in non-municipal corporation limits, the notification stated. Wholesale traders can stock 1,000 quintal and retailers can stock 40 quintal of all types of edible oil inside corporation limit, whereas in areas other than municipal corporations, the limit is 30 and 20 quintal respectively for wholesale and retail traders.
Mr Kapoor said the food and civil supply department would conduct surveillance over hoarding, monitor the day-to-day situation and if hoarding was found, the traders would be punished according to the law.
Meanwhile, the Maharastra Pradesh Congress Committee demanded that the state government make available pulses at ration shops across the state to give relief to the people during the festive season. If the government refused to comply, the MPCC warned of statewide protests on October 26 and 27.
