With the Central Government coming under attack over rising pulse prices, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday sought to shift some blame to the states, saying they are equally responsible for keeping the rates of essential commodities under control.
Despite several measures, pulses are still ruling high at over Rs170 per kg in most parts of the country due to a widening demand-supply gap following two successive droughts. Paswan, who launched sale of tur and urad at a subsidised Rs120 per kg through mobile vans of co-operative NCCF in the national capital today, said: “If prices rise despite this move, the Centre is not responsible. In a federal structure, states have equal responsibility in controlling prices.” Passage of the GST Bill and creation of the national common agriculture market would address the price rise issue to a large extent, he hoped.
The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India is the third player after Mother Dairy’s Safal and Kendriya Bhandar that will be selling tur and urad at the subsidised rate in the national capital.