States should implement sugar stock limit: Centre

The Centre has asked states to implement the stock limit order on sugar as only five states have notified it so far, while two states have promised to enforce it soon.

At a meeting of state food secretaries in New Delhi last week, the Centre pointed out that it has been repeatedly requesting state governments and union territories to implement stock holding and turnover limits, but there are a number of states which have not even responded.

Out of 10 states responded to the Centre’s request, Sikkim, Tripura and Puducherry told that they do not require to implement the Central order in their respective states, a government official said, adding Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have promised to enforce the order. The stock limit order is being implemented only in Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka and Andaman & Nicobar island, he said. As many of the states are yet to notify the stock holding and turnover limits, the order of the Central government is not getting implemented, he added. Under the stock and turnover limit on sugar, the Centre had prescribed the maximum quantity a trader can keep, while giving flexibility to states to increase it further. It said, a trader has to sell his stocks within 30 days from the date he receives the consignment.

Even though many states have not shown interest in the legal instrument that empowers them to take action against hoarding and control price rise, the Centre is mulling to extend the stock limit order by six months, which is set to expire on July 8.

On May 9 this year, the government had issued the notification which was valid for four months. According to sources, the Food Ministry is considering to increase the validity of stock limit order till January 8, 2010.