West Bengal invoked the Essential Commodities Act to impose restrictions on potato's storage, trade, and transport. It pits consumers in Kolkata against those in Guwahati, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar.
NCRB data shows that states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, UP and Tamil Nadu witnessed a massive jump in cases related to the Essential Commodities Act.
The Consumer Affairs ministry has issued the directive to the state govts under Essential Commodities Act and asked to monitor prices of edible oils and oilseeds on a weekly basis.
Prices of pulses have seen sustained inflation this year, hovering above the Rs 100/kg in the retail market. Govt move comes ahead of gradual unlocking, with the festival season just weeks away.
The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 may not be so detrimental to the farmers producing surpluses. It is the consumers who may have to worry.
The Standing Committee on Food, chaired by TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, recommended the government to implement the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Retailers can stock onions only up to 2 tonne, whereas wholesale traders are allowed to keep up to 25 tonne, Consumer Affairs Secretary Leena Nandan said.
The amendments to the essential commodities law aim to remove fears of private investors of excessive regulatory interference in their business operations.
The bill gives the Centre the power to designate certain commodities like food items, fertilisers and petroleum products as essential commmodities and regulate their production, supply, distribution, and trade.
Modi govt has made actual legal changes to implement its policy statements on agriculture reforms. It should now plug loopholes to realise their full potential.
After the illegal detention of Prema Wangjom Thongdok at Shanghai airport, China once again fell back on a deliberate playbook it has used for decades.
Order for 87 MALE drones will be split between 2 Indian firms in 64:36 ratio to ensure there are 2 independent manufacturing lines with at least 60% indigenous components.
The India-South Africa series-defining fact is the catastrophic decline of Indian red ball cricket where a visiting team can mock us with the 'grovel' word.
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