Centre to ensure availability of essential commodities

A high-level meeting on Wednesday decided to direct the states to impose stock limits and to activate de-hoarding devices to ensure availability of essential commodities during the festive season.

The meeting presided over by Union Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha felt that Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pande should ask the states to impose stock limits, an official release said here.

The meeting reviewed availability and the prices of essential commodities with the secretaries of Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Food & Public Distribution, Commerce, Expenditure and others, it said.

"It was observed that the recent measures taken by the central government have helped contain prices of most of the pulses, which are showing declining trends, except for gram and sugar," a informed source said.

The Cabinet Secretary also directed the Department of Consumer Affairs to consider all options to check the prices of both commodities.

He said that distribution of chana dal and other pulses should be taken up through postal network, the release said.

The meeting also reviewed distribution of pulses to state governments from the buffer stock, it added.

--IANS

nd/nir/vt