State polls ahead, Modi government appoints panel to keep eye on key commodities like pulses

NEW DELHI: Ahead of state polls in five states, the Modi government has constituted a committee of senior officers drawn from intelligence agencies and state police to keep a close watch on the movement of essential commodities in the domestic and international markets.

On Tuesday, Cabinet secretary P K Sinha took a review meeting on prices of such commodities and directed all these agencies to enforce stock limits of pulses, in particular arhar and urad. He also reviewed the progress of work undertaken by the panel in their last two meetings and has tasked it to bring violators to book.

The panel has been constituted in the consumer affairs ministry which has been closely coordinating with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the IB, the income tax department, the ED, the commerce ministry and state police to deal with caretlisation, hoarding and black-marketing.



A senior officer said the Centre has initiated these measures to avoid any sudden spike in prices. During the Bihar polls last year, prices of pulses had risen abnormally becoming a major political issue that contributed to NDA's poor show.

The DRI has provided a list of major traders involved in import and export of pulses and other commodities for the panel to analyse and for stricter enforcement against caretlisation, hoarding and black-marketing, particularly pulses, onion and potatoes. The Centre has also suggested that states fix the margin of profit for traders since in the past there have been huge gaps between wholesale and retail prices.

A source said the panel was formed after the PMO and the Cabinet secretariat asked the consumer affairs ministry to take proactive action against hoarders and black-marketeers. Since the enforcement involved states as well, consumer affairs secretary C Vishwanath mooted bringing all departments on one platform for sharing information and concerted action against speculators and manipulators.

TOI had first reported on January 26 how the IB had alerted the Centre about major importers of pulses hoarding masoor in huge quantity to control prices when there is a shortage.