Centre takes further measures to check rising prices of food grains

This move is aimed at moderating the price of wheat and ensure easy availability in the market. The measures are also aimed at preventing hoarding and speculation.

In view of rising wheat prices, Food and Public Distribution Secretary Sanjeev Chopra held a meeting with the food secretaries of the states through video conferencing. During the meeting, the wheat stock limit order notified on Monday and its compliance were discussed in detail. Along with this, the Centre also informed the public about the government’s decision to launch 15 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and rice in the market in the first phase.

It was a move to moderate the price of wheat and ensure easy availability in the market. The meeting on Tuesday comes a day after the Centre imposed stock limits on wheat applicable to wholesalers, traders, retailers, big chain retailers and processors. It was also decided to offload wheat and rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic)-OMSS(D). The measures were aimed at cooling down the prices and preventing hoarding and speculation.

States were also asked to get information about wheat stock to prevent any kind of unfair practice and to bring transparency to the availability of wheat. A user manual regarding stock submission has also been shared with the state government for ease of data entry on the portal. In case the stock exceeds the prescribed limit, it is mandatory to bring it up to the prescribed stock limit within 30 days from the date of the notification.

The Centre has also asked states to check the unfair practices of any kind and to bring transparency in the availability of wheat. During the meeting, Centre also informed about its decision of offloading the wheat and rice under OMSS (D) which are further expected to cool down the rising price of wheat and rice along with the products derived from them. These steps are taken to ensure consumers get the food grains like Wheat and Rice at affordable price.