The Hindu : Kerala News : Law to control grain trade

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Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala

Law to control grain trade

Provisions of essential commodities Act weak, says Divakaran

Precautionary measures against price rise begin
Chief Secretary to coordinate raids by departments

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran said here on Tuesday that the government would bring legislation for controlling the foodgrain market.

At a press conference here, the Minister said the draft for the legislation was ready. The measure was needed as provisions of the essential commodities Act were weak.

Mr. Divakaran said the government was taking precautionary measures as prices of foodgrains were likely to go up further in the State. The Centre had gone for imports and the world was facing food shortages. However, the State had limitations in checking the prices as 80 per cent of matters connected with prices were controlled by the Centre.

He said Chief Secretary P.J. Thomas had been asked to coordinate raids by Legal Metrology, Revenue, Health and Civil Supplies departments under the leadership of Collectors to prevent profiteering. A control room would function at the Civil Supplies Commissionerate. He would receive complaints directly from the public at the control room every week.

He said a meeting with representatives of the hotel and restaurant association would be held on November 13 to check prices of food items. The government would offer to supply essential commodities at fair prices to hotels and restaurants through the State Civil Supplies Corporation. Similarly, commodities would be supplied to Kudumbasree units engaged in distribution of food packets to office-goers.

Gas shortage

The Minister said that gas shortage in the State was yet to be solved, though he had personally submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister. The oil companies claimed that hartals, strikes, condition of roads and shortage of cylinders were in the way of streamlining distribution. However, the claim could not be taken at face value, as there were no shortages for gas supplied to industries. The fact was that the companies were not interested in maintaining supply of subsidised gas to domestic consumers. He was convening a conference of company executives on November 13 to find a solution.

Mr. Divakaran said he had requested Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Sharad Pawar to restore the quota of rice for distribution to families above the poverty line. The quota had been cut by 90,000 tonnes a month. Subsidised supply of rice to families below the poverty line at Rs. 3 a kg was being continued.

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