Chhattisgarh on Friday demanded amendments in Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), providing more power to States to take measures to curb inflation and crackdown hoarding and black-marketing.
Addressing a conference of State food ministers in New Delhi on Friday, Chhattisgarh Food Minister Punnulal Mohle said it should be made mandatory for the traders to ensure complete disposal of stocks under the Act, as imposing a stock holding limit on a particular commodity is not very effective in controlling hoarding.
Maximum profit and commission should be fixed in case of business in food items. The meeting was also attended by Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Mohle also suggested that offence under Essential Commodities Act should be made 'non-bailable'.He demanded that States should be given the power to add or remove new commodities as per requirement and issue controlling orders.
The Minister said that arrangements should be made to register common man’s complaint against hoarding and black marketing in consumer courts. In order to check price rise, the minister suggested that production of pulses, edible oil, vegetables, fruits etc should be done as per the demand.He also emphasised on formation of funds for keeping a check on prices. He added that display of stock list and its prices should be made compulsory.