1 week ago
Bengal Launches Monthlong Drive to Curb Festive-Season Price Rise
The Bengal government says many everyday foods have become much more expensive.
It is starting a special drive lasting one month.
Teams will visit markets and write down prices regularly.
They will compare those prices with prices from the previous two weeks.
Officials will ask sellers, traders and shoppers why prices have risen sharply.
The Enforcement Branch may inspect mills and warehouses if unusual stock movements are found.
It may also act against black marketing and unfair business practices.
The government hopes these steps will make prices more stable before the festive season.
The Bengal government will conduct a statewide, monthlong drive to control rising prices of essential commodities before the festive season.
Inspection teams will monitor wholesale and retail markets at sub-divisional and divisional commissioner levels.
Teams will record prices of rice, sugar, vegetables, milk, eggs, fish, chicken and other essentials.
The Enforcement Branch will target mills and warehouses over abnormal stock movements, black marketing and unauthorised stockholding.
Officials said raids began Tuesday, with concentrated inspections starting Wednesday and results expected to take at least a week.
- Who
- The Bengal government, led by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with market inspection teams and the Enforcement Branch.
- What
- A one-month statewide campaign to monitor and curb rising prices of essential commodities.
- Where
- Across Bengal, including district markets and municipal corporation areas.
- When
- The decision was taken Monday; raids began Tuesday, with concentrated inspections and raids scheduled to begin Wednesday.
- Why
- To address sharp price increases and stabilise markets before the festive season.
Key facts
- Duration
- The statewide drive will run for one month.
- Commodities monitored
- Rice, sugar, vegetables, milk, eggs, fish, chicken and other essentials.
- Inspection locations
- Wholesale and retail markets across the state.
- Inspection structure
- Teams will operate at the sub-divisional level in districts and at the divisional commissioner level in municipal corporation areas.
- Sugar price cited
- Sugar was reported to have risen from ₹40 to ₹70 per kilogram within a few weeks.
- Vegetable price cited
- Brinjal was reported to have risen from ₹60 to ₹100 per kilogram within a few days.
- Reporting requirement
- The Enforcement Branch director-general must submit a daily report to the chief secretary.
Quotes
Senior official
Bengal government official discussing the price-control initiative
“The rising prices of essential commodities like sugar, vegetables, onions and rice are causing discomfort to the government just three months into its tenure.”
telegraphindia.com
“The price of sugar has gone up to ₹70 a kilo from ₹40 a kilo within a few weeks. But it is a national phenomenon.”
telegraphindia.com
Suvendu Adhikari
Chief minister of Bengal
“We have set up teams at the sub-divisional level in the districts and the divisional commissioner level in the municipal corporation areas. This micro-management will help arrest the price rise.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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