July 8, 2014
WB Govt to step up vigil to rein in prices of vegetables
A meeting of the task force to preventprice rise of essential commodities was held at Nabanna on Monday to discussways to control the price hike. West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee,apprehending a further hike in vegetable prices during the upcoming festiveseason, directed Enforcement Branch (EB) officers to intensify vigil in themarkets.
The price of vegetables usually risesduring the monsoon season but this time the prices have risen constantly in thepast few months. So, if the situation continues, prices may hike further inSeptember-October. Price of vegetables tend to increase during the Pujas.
Apart from monitoring the markets andintensifying vigil, the state government has put a tab on selling potatoes andonions outside Bengal. Ms. Banerjee has urged traders against selling potatoesand onions to the neighbouring states till the prices are controlled, he said.
The government also plans to come up withfew more fair price shops in the city to sell vegetables at cheaper rates. Atpresent, seven such shops have been put up in the KMC-run markets located inNew Market, Behala, Ultadanga, College Street and Gariahat. This apart, vanshave been put up in 20 markets to ferry vegetables at cheaper rates.
The State Government has written to theCentral Government protesting against its policies of stocking potato, onionsand other food materials. The Centre had requested all the states to stockonions. The state feels that such decision this will create a further hike inprice. The govt has requested the Centre to import onions and distribute itevenly among the States.
