Sudarsan Maharana
Post News Network
BHUBANESWAR: At a time when spiraling prices of seasonal vegetables and essential commodities have started pinching pockets, administrative apathy is adding to the woes of consumers across the state. No mechanism is in place to regulate the prices of essentials that have gone up sharply in recent days.
As is usual in festival seasons, prices of seasonal vegetables rose three days prior to the Raja festival. Every vegetable now costs Rs 40-50 a kg – a rise of prices by Rs 10. Brinjal that cost Rs 30/kg is now sold at Rs 40. Gourd that cost Rs 40/kg now sells at Rs 50. Beans sell at Rs 200/kg and cucumber Rs 40/kg.
According to vendors, prices of essentials soared by 15 per cent on an average within a month. While arhar (toor) dal is selling at Rs 120 a kg, the price of mustard oil has touched Rs 120 a litre. Garlic and ginger are selling at rates above Rs 100 a kg and onion at Rs 30 a kilo. Fish and chicken prices too have gone up. Rohu fish from Andhra Pradesh is selling at Rs 150 per kg against its previous price of `120, while chicken sells at prices above Rs 160 per kg.
Admitting that there is no regulatory mechanism to determine the prices of dal, and that importers quote any price, state food minister Sanjay Das Burma put the onus on the Centre. “The Centre should intervene and regulate the prices of items like dal, taking into account their import price,” he said.
Last month, food supply and consumer welfare (FS&CW) secretary Madhusudan Padhi directed district collectors to book unscrupulous traders, hoarders, under the Essential Commodities Act. They were also indulging in violation of the stock holding limit order. He had said the civil supplies and market intelligence field staff functioning under the local administration be instructed to inspect both the wholesale and retail business premises, and keep track of the price spiral in pulses.
However, such governmental steps have been of little help in controlling pulse prices. Trade experts blame governmental apathy for the price rise. The food supplies and consumer welfare department has failed regulate the market and price mechanism, they said.
Padhi said, “The Centre has been urged to fix the price of dal and other essentials. Vegetable prices cannot be regulated by the state government as they do not fall under the essential commodities act. Short supply also leads to price hike in the case of seasonal vegetables.”
He said local administrations have been asked to crack down on those hoarding edibles. However, no meaningful action is visible in the
markets.
