Prices of essential commodities under control…
Prices of essential commodities under control during lockdown: Paswan (IANS Exclusive)
Prices of essential commodities under control during lockdown: Paswan (IANS Exclusive)
New Delhi : April 20, (IANS). Making a big statement on allegations of hoarding and inflation of essential commodities during the nationwide lockdown, Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that government agencies are closely watching the market and MRP of any everyday item ( Maximum retail price) is not being charged.
Ram Vilas Paswan said in an exclusive interview to IANS, “From potatoes, tomatoes and onions, sugar, rice, lentils, wheat, sanitizers, masks, including the availability and prices of all essential commodities are being monitored and I will give to the countrymen. Assure that the availability of all essential items will remain in the entire country even after lockdown.
On the issue of increase in the prices of vegetables and fruits in some parts of the country, the Food Minister said that the availability of potato, tomato and onion is sufficient in the growing states, so there is nothing to worry. He said that there is no shortage of vegetables, yet if there is a rise in prices in any part of the country, it may be due to transportation problem.
Ram Vilas Paswan, the senior-most minister in the Modi government, clearly stated that there is no shortage of food grains in the country and the prices of essential commodities, including grains, are under control.
Opposition parties have demanded the opening of all government warehouses for the people. On the question asked in this regard, Paswan said that during the lockdown, free grain distribution is being done to the beneficiaries of the Universal Distribution System (PDS) across the country. Starting from April, the central government has announced to provide 5 kg of wheat or rice every month under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana to every beneficiary of PDS for the next three months. Apart from this, it has also been announced to give one kg of pulses every month to each ration card holder family.
Paswan said that all the states except Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal had already started lifting their quota grains for free food distribution, but now these three states have also started. He said that Food Corporation of India employees are continuously working to provide ration to about 81 crore beneficiaries of PDS in the country.
He said that FCI has sent 2.16 lakh tonnes to Assam, 17,000 tonnes to Arunachal Pradesh, 38,000 tonnes to Meghalaya, 18,000 tonnes to Manipur and 33,000 tonnes to Tripura to ensure free ration distribution in the inaccessible areas of North Eastern Provinces. At the same time, Nagaland and Mizoram have also been provided with adequate food grains. Ram Vilas Paswan regularly arrives at Krishi Bhavan where the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution arrives and during the lockdown takes stock of the distribution of food grains under the PDS across the country.
Ram Vilas Paswan said, reaching the essential commodities especially grains in the North Eastern Provinces was my first priority, because the railway network in these areas is less. I asked the FCI officials to ensure that our siblings in the Northeast get their share of food grains. I am happy that under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, 4.42 lakh tonnes of food grains have been sent to the northeastern states for distribution of free food grains in the last 25 days. Out of this, 1.74 lakh tonnes of food grains have been received by the beneficiaries.
Countrywide lockdown is being seen as an effective measure in the steps taken by the Modi government to prevent corona virus infection. As a consumer food and public distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan has a big responsibility during this lockdown. He has assured that the FCI and his ministry will continue to mobilize to provide food grains to the countrymen.
