Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government yesterday asked district collectors to crack down on hoarders following a public outcry due to the skyrocketing prices of onion and pulses.
The Food Supply and Consumer Welfare department was asked to form special squads and raid hoarders and black marketers. FS&CW Minister Sanjay Dasburma said the district collectors were asked to implement the Essential Services Act strictly.
He addd that while Odisha depends on other states for onion and dal, around 35 percent
production has decreased across the state causing rise in prices of products. He said they would fix a rational price of dal in the state after consulting various stakeholders. Onion and pulse price have been soaring constantly at the retail market across the state for over last one month due to inadequate supply from out of state depots against the daily consumer demand.
Onion is being sold at `60 a kg while dal is priced at `150 in the state, said Sudhakar Panda, state traders' association secretary.
Meanwhile, the supply department officials have been asked to maintain a strict vigil on the retailers so that they display the receipts of the rate bought from the wholesaler and earn only a profit range of Rs2-3 over the wholesale rate instead of thrusting a monopoly on the daily market.
IANS
