Sir — Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, gives sweeping powers both to the Union and the State Governments to declare any commodity of daily consumption to be an ‘essential commodity’ and also pass orders to ensure its normal supply to prevent hoarding which results in price rise.
The Union Government has declared potatoes and onions as essential commodities, and fixed the limit of stock for wholesalers and retailers. Now it is up to the State machinery, especially its enforcement branch, to ensure compliance of stock-limit. Then the wholesalers will have to off-load the excess stock over the statutory limit, which will then reach the retailers and push down prices.
That is the idea, since the people will benefit. But we are yet to hear of such raids being conducted in the wholesale markets by State Governments. What is the motive behind the inactionIJ For soaring prices of vegetables, for instance, the people will accuse the Narendra Modi-led Government at the Centre. But in the long run, people will see through the game-plan of States that are ruled by parties opposed to the BJP.