The state government has directed the marketing and co-operative departments to keep a watch on the prices of essential commodities in private retail chains and departmental stores. The departments have also been asked to take stern action against errant stores.
In a meeting with chief secretary JP Dange on Friday, the marketing department revealed that rates of vegetables and other commodities have gone up by nearly 40% despite good rains and crops. The meeting primarily discussed the rising prices of essential commodities, including vegetables, pulses, cereals.
The difference in prices of commodities at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC), the facilitating bodies between farmers and traders, and retail outlets was another shock for the government. Some commodities were found to be sold at double the rate from their rates at the APMC market.
Dange has directed the co-operative department to open vegetable and essential commodities centres that will sell the commodities at fair prices.
“I have directed the co-operative department to open 1,000 such centers across the state. The response last year was good as these centres sold the essential commodities by purchasing them directly from the APMC market. The co-operative department issues licenses to the consumer federations and co-operative departmental stores like Apna Bazaar and Sahakar Bhandar,” said Dange.
Dange said that the departments have also been directed to keep a check on retail chains.
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