The Hindu Business Line : Govt set to crack whip on hoarders

The Andhra Pradesh Government today warned commodity traders against hoarding and threatened to crack the whip against violators, including invoking provisions of the Preventive Detention Act.

Speaking on ‘Rising prices of essential commodities,’ the Andhra Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Mr J. Krishna Rao, said that the State Government was seized of the spiralling prices, particularly of superfine rice and red gram and also vegetables. It is making all efforts to bring down prices, he said.

The Government has drawn up a multi-pronged strategy to check the rise in prices of essential commodities and the State subsidy of Rs 4,000 crore is aimed at helping people below poverty line.

As a part of Government’s effort to address the situation, Mr Rao said, the vigilance department has intensified inspections on rice mills, imposed stock limits, restricted movement of rice, deployed mobile vans and was conducting regular and surprise checks on millers and traders against hoarding.

Raising output

Alongside, the Civil Supplies Department is working in league with the State Agriculture Department to bring more area under cultivation of superfine rice and preferred varieties, keeping in view agro-climatic conditions suitable for specific crop.

The Agriculture Department has been requested to educate farmers and provide necessary seeds and other inputs to ensure long term food self-sufficiency and guide them to produce what is required in the marketplace.

Referring to pulses, edible oils and sugar, the Minister said that the Government has decided to double the quantity of seeds being supplied on subsidy to the farmers.

With regard to red gram, the State Government has announced additional subsidy of Rs 1,500 crore to motivate farmers to take up its cultivation in the State. This is in addition to Rs 2,000 provided by the Centre.

Intervening in the debate, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said that in spite of tough circumstances, the State has managed to control prices better than others. Possibly, this is one of the reasons for smuggling some commodities to other States for better prices.

Members of the Opposition came up with several suggestions, which included market intervention fund of Rs 500 crore and import of dal and setting up of commodities trading corporation.

More Stories on : Commodities | Andhra Pradesh

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Weak monsoon to impact growth, inflation, says Crisil

East, central parts start receiving fresh rains

Sharp fall in Sikkim rice, maize output

The price of populism

The inflation paradox

Govt set to crack whip on hoarders

Sugar prices gallop past Rs 30/kg

Airtel, IFFCO tie up to take mobile phones to AP villages

Kerala water levels improve

Shrunken hopes

Signs of slowdown in global coffee exports

High volatility in pepper futures

Deficit rains may hit commodity trading

‘Address climate change thru’ agriculture’

AP outlines contingency plan to tackle adverse seasonal conditions

Drought pushes up demand for farm pump sets

Guar crop’s fortune hinges on monsoon’s progress