Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 24: The state government Monday admitted in the state Assembly price of dal has registered 71 per cent growth this fiscal over the previous fiscal.
Responding to the concern expressed by Opposition and treasury benches over soaring prices of pulses and onion, Food supplies and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma announced in the House that Orissa imports pulses and onion from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. As the price in the source market has escalated due to various reasons its impact is being felt in Orissa.
Das Burma said there has been a 25 pc reduction in import of pulses for which the price has registered a 71 pc rise over the price in the previous year.
Further, because of heavy rain onion production in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra has dwindled leading to price escalation, he informed the House.
All district collectors have been directed to book unscrupulous traders under the Essential Commodities Act and on grounds of stock holding limit order violation, he said and added they had been directed to keep a watch over wholesale and retail price of the kitchen essential.
Consumers would also be informed through media about the fluctuating wholesale and market price of the essential kitchen commodity.
While some pulse varieties are being sold above Rs 140 per kilogram, onions are being sold at Rs 55 to Rs 60 in the state.
While the daily onion requirement of the state is 1048.26 tonne, the government procures about 900 to 1000 tonne per day.
The minister said the state government has decided to draw `50crore from price stabilisation fund to procure and store essential commodities to meet the shortage in the market.
Meanwhile, a meeting of Food supply and consumer welfare (FS&CW) minister, secretary of FS&CW department along with members of traders’ association discussed ways out of the crisis.
The Federation of All Orissa Traders’ Association (FAOTA) has urged the government to withdraw value added tax (VAT) on pulses, which it felt, would help curb the price rise of essential commodities.
