<p>The State Food and Civil Supplies Department is all set to introduce a new set of guidelines from July 8. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The move will be taken in an attempt to rein in the hoarding of essential food items for ulterior motives by traders, causing surge in prices. As per the new guidelines, there will be a cap on the stocking of food items by both retailers and wholesalers, who have to sell commodities complying with the price fixed by the government.<br /><br />Announcing this to media on Wednesday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said, “For now, to maintain the market price of essential commodities like tur dal, edible oil and sugar, it has been decided to restrict retailers to stock not more than 50 quintals. For wholesalers, it will be 1,000 quintals in rural areas and 2,000 quintals in urban areas,” and warned, “If the traders are found stocking the commodities in excess, fine will be imposed on them.”<br /><br />Besides, wholesalers have to sell the tur dal at Rs 130 a kg while retailers can sell the same for a marginal profit.<br /><br />At the agriculture produce marketing committee (APMC) yard at Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru, alone, there are 50 wholesalers – besides the 200 across the state, said Khader answering to a question.<br /><br />Khader said, the government had taken traders and the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI) into confidence before coming up with the new set of guidelines, following a directive from the Centre in this regard to control market price.<br /><br />Khader said it was essential to control the prices of essential commodities for at least three months, when the prices were expected to be stabilised due to increase in food production. Earlier, owing to dwindling food production, there was a rise in the prices of essential commodities, he admitted. “Recently a shop in Bengaluru was found selling a commodity at a much higher price. In such cases, the buyers should question traders,” advised the minister.<br /><br />Food for all<br /><br />Khader also said that he had directed all deputy directors to ensure that essential commodities reach all people, irrespective of seeding his or her Aadhaar card number with the ration card. “In the existing scenario, 90% of seeding process has been completed and work is underway to cover the remaining cardholders. In all, there are 15 lakh cardholders in the state, including below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) citizens,” said Khader.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The State Food and Civil Supplies Department is all set to introduce a new set of guidelines from July 8. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The move will be taken in an attempt to rein in the hoarding of essential food items for ulterior motives by traders, causing surge in prices. As per the new guidelines, there will be a cap on the stocking of food items by both retailers and wholesalers, who have to sell commodities complying with the price fixed by the government.<br /><br />Announcing this to media on Wednesday, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader said, “For now, to maintain the market price of essential commodities like tur dal, edible oil and sugar, it has been decided to restrict retailers to stock not more than 50 quintals. For wholesalers, it will be 1,000 quintals in rural areas and 2,000 quintals in urban areas,” and warned, “If the traders are found stocking the commodities in excess, fine will be imposed on them.”<br /><br />Besides, wholesalers have to sell the tur dal at Rs 130 a kg while retailers can sell the same for a marginal profit.<br /><br />At the agriculture produce marketing committee (APMC) yard at Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru, alone, there are 50 wholesalers – besides the 200 across the state, said Khader answering to a question.<br /><br />Khader said, the government had taken traders and the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI) into confidence before coming up with the new set of guidelines, following a directive from the Centre in this regard to control market price.<br /><br />Khader said it was essential to control the prices of essential commodities for at least three months, when the prices were expected to be stabilised due to increase in food production. Earlier, owing to dwindling food production, there was a rise in the prices of essential commodities, he admitted. “Recently a shop in Bengaluru was found selling a commodity at a much higher price. In such cases, the buyers should question traders,” advised the minister.<br /><br />Food for all<br /><br />Khader also said that he had directed all deputy directors to ensure that essential commodities reach all people, irrespective of seeding his or her Aadhaar card number with the ration card. “In the existing scenario, 90% of seeding process has been completed and work is underway to cover the remaining cardholders. In all, there are 15 lakh cardholders in the state, including below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) citizens,” said Khader.<br /><br /></p>
