While replying to questions in an Adjournment Motion in the State Assembly on Tuesday on rise in price of edible oil and adulteration, Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain blamed the Union Government for imposing a special cess on imported edible oils.

The motion was moved by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.He said the Central Government has imposed agri infrastructure cess of 17.5 % on plamolein oil and 20% on sunflower and soya oil in the current Budget.

Apart from these, there are imported tax of 21% and GST of 5 % on edible oil, pushing the prices of edible oil further up. This year the Central Government has increased the Minimum Support Price of mustard than last year; that's why, the prices of mustard oil has increased too, said Swain. The Minister also pointed out that though the Union Government has also unlisted edible oil as unregulated from the Essential Commodities Act, the State Government has kept a close watch on hoarding and black marketing.

The State Government also engaged 30 Food Security Officers for regular food sample collection and laboratory test.

In the current year 2020-21 till date, 183 samples collected and out of that 44 samples were low quality or adulterated. So, immediate steps have been taken as per the Food Security Act, said the Minister.

The Government also is creating awareness among the consumers on identifying FSSAI logo and Agmark logo in all packets of edible oil to stop sale of adulterated oil in market, he added.

While admitting the rise in prices of palmolein oil from Rs 80 last year to Rs 126 this year and of mustard oil price from Rs 100 to Rs 150, the Minister said that this year the prices of palmolein and sunflower oil have increased in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Canada, from where Odisha imports the edible oil.“Since Odisha is importing edible oil from foreign countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, especially sunflower and soya oil from Canada and USA, mustard oil from Gujarat and Rajasthan, the prices are not in our hand,” clarified the FSCW Minister.

According to the 2020 NSS projected population, the State has a requirement of 3 lakh MT oil, whereas 55 per cent demand is met from palmolein oil, 15 per cent is from mustard oil and 20 per cent from sunflower oil.

However, both opposition BJP and Congress blamed the State Government for the mess in food adulteration and lack of enforcement. BJP MLA Mukesh Mahalinga described the food adulteration as a silent killer causing cardiovascular diseases.

He said that the District Consumer Protection Committees are defunct or not acting properly.BJP member Mohan Majhi questioned about the Government's initiatives on self reliance on edible oil production.

Congress Legislator Bahinipati put the blame on both the Central and State Governments for the sorry state of affairs pertaining to edible oil in Odisha.