NEW DELHI, OCT 19: In a bid to increase availability and to prevent hoarding of pulses, the Union Government has amended the Central Order under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 with immediate effect to enable imposition of stock limits on pulses sourced from imports, stocks held by exporters, stocks to be used as raw-materials by licensed food processors and stocks of large departmental retailers.
In its earlier order extending the imposition of stock limits on pulses, edible oils and edible oil seeds, for one year up to September 09, 2016, the Government had granted exemption to four categories of stocks i.e. stocks sourced from imports, held by exporters, by licensed food processors and large departmental retailers. Government has now withdrawn exemptions to stocks of pulses held by these four categories.
The Government has taken several measures for increasing the availability of pulses by banning export of pulses, extension of zero import duty on pulses and also import of 5000 tonnes of pulses from Price Stabilization Fund. To increase production of pulses, the minimum support price for Urad and Arhar dal have been increased to Rs.4625 per quintal and for Moong dal to Rs.4850 per quintal.
In a high level Inter-Ministerial meeting held on October 14 under the chairmanship of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitly major decisions like creation of a buffer stock by procurement and imports of pulses, strict action against hoarders and black marketers, bearing transportation, handling and milling charges of imported pulses from the Price Stabilization Fund and encouraging States to lift stocks of imported pulses, were taken.
All States were advised to intensify anti-hoarding operations and keep in check black-marketing and profiteering by traders.
All these measures are likely to increase the availability of pulses and cool down the prices which have sky rocketed in last few months.
