Maha orders release of seized pulses to bring down prices

Under pressure from opposition over high prices of pulses, the Maharashtra government has decided to release the confiscated stock lying in godowns which will effectively bring down rate of tur dal to Rs 100 per kg, state Food Minister Girish Bapat said here today.
"We have decided that dal stored in godowns should be released immediately. There is a process that needs to be followed and we believe that there should be no shortage of dal in the state," Bapat told reporters here.
The state government has so far seized more than 46,000 tonnes of tur dal after conducting nearly 2,500 raids on hoarders of pulses across the state in the last two weeks.

The Food and Civil Supplies Minister said that buying and selling cycle of pulses should continue.
"We will take an undertaking in the form of an indemnity bond from godown owners and bring pulses into open market. The dal will be sold at Rs 100 a kg," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP state unit president Raosaheb Danve has inaugurated a stall selling tur dal at Rs 100 a kg outside the Maharashtra BJP office here.

"The BJP will start 100 such stalls in the city where dal will be sold at Rs 100 a kg. Similarly, in other areas of the state too such stalls will be opened," he said.

Explaining the reason behind spurt in prices of pulses, Danve said, "The prices of pulses skyrocketed because demand exceeded supply and goods were confiscated when traders exceeded the limits of storage of foodgrains. From several days we have been trying everything possible to increase supply".
"As the implementation of the decision to allow godown owners to sell pulses to traders has started with immediate effect, people will start getting dal at Rs 100 a kg before the start of Diwali festival," Danve said.
The opposition Congress and the NCP, in a mark of protest against the "inefficiency" of the state government to bring down the price of pulses, have decided to gift a box of tur dal to all the members of the state Cabinet.