In order to control soaring prices due to delay in rain, the Gujarat Government has put onion and potato under the Essential Commodities (EC) list. Gujarat’s Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Bhupendrasinh Chudasama made the announcement under the provision of ‘Matter of Public Importance’ during the ongoing Assembly session.
The move has come in lines with the Central Government’s call to the States affected by the delay in rain to put these two perishable items under the Essential Commodities Act.“This time, we are having a delayed monsoon in the State. Thus, to stop the price rise in onions and potatoes in the wake of delayed monsoon, we have decided to put both the items under Gujarat Essential Articles Dealers (Regulation) order of 1977, which is in accordance with Essential Commodities Act 1955,” Chudasama told the House.
This measure will enable the authorities to keep a check on hoardings, which usually led to artificial price rise, he said adding that the under the law the state government can check opening stock, actual sale and closing stock of dealers of these both articles and dealers will not be able to hoard these articles for profit making.