Centre convenes state food ministers meet to tackle price rise

In a bid to contain spiralling prices of some essential food items, the Centre has convened a meeting of state food ministers on July 4.

The meet is aimed at discussing strategies with state governments to jointly combat the hike in prices.

The conference will be chaired by Arun Jaitley, Union finance minister and presided over by Ram Vilas Paswan, Union minister of consumer affairs, food & public distribution.

Prices of some of the essential food commodities like potatoes and onions have shot up of late despite the Centre maintaining that there is no dearth of the two commodities and food grains.

The Odisha government has also clarified that there is no shortfall of potatoes and onions in the state.

“All district collectors have been instructed to keep a tab on the market situation and ensure that there is not much difference between wholesale and retail prices of potatoes and onions. The collectors have also been advised to take action against anyone resorting to undue profiteering,” said state food supplies secretary Madhusudhan Padhee.

Steps to prevent hoarding of these commodities and plans for distribution of specific essential items through public channels and improving other supply channels will be discussed at the meeting. The meeting will also review the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act for creating a national common market for food items with no barriers to internal trade.

Issues pertaining to maintenance of stock and supply of onion and potato as well as improving post harvest infrastructure, value addition and containing wastage will also be taken up in the meeting to ensure availability of these commodities.

Meanwhile, the Centre has asked state governments to take urgent measures to tackle undue increase in onion prices. In a letter to chief secretaries of all states, Union secretary for consumer affairs, Keshav Desiraju said, “Action needs to be taken to eliminate any hitches in the supply chain and to ensure an uninterrupted supply of onion so that the scope for speculation is eliminated and the general public is not subjected to any hardship because of price rise”.

He has also requested the states to intimate the steps taken by them to ensure adequate availability of onions so that the prices are kept under control.