Govt control on pulses, edible oil to continue till September 2016
New Delhi: Government extends controls on pulses, edible oil, and oilseeds under Essential Commodities Act till September 30, 2016. Measures aim to stabilize prices, prevent hoarding. Cabinet approves Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) for the deaf community. India-Germany and India-Cambodia agreements signed for education and tourism cooperation. Cabinet committee approves four-laning of Cuttack-Angul section of National Highway 42 in Odisha. (ANI)
New Delhi: Controls imposed on pulses, edible oil and oilseeds under the Essential Commodities Act will continue for another year, as the government tries to ensure adequate supply of these items to check price rise.
The cabinet on Tuesday decided to extend the control till 30 September 2016, communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a briefing. It was to expire at the end of this month.
“The decision has been taken to ensure that people do not face any difficulty. With the extension, state governments can take various measures available under this Act to ensure adequate supplies to people,” he said.
This will enable states to regulate trade of these essential commodities and to continue to take effective operations under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. They can impose stock limits/licensing requirements, etc., to curb unscrupulous trading, hoarding and profiteering, a government statement said. The extension will also help states in tackling the problem of ensuring adequate availability of these commodities in the domestic market and keep prices under control, the statement added.
In 2014, keeping in mind the rising prices of pulses, the government decided to bring these commodities under the Essential Commodities Act.
In addition, the government decided to impose stock limits related to these commodities, even on those warehouses that are registered with the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority, to prevent hoarding.
“Till now, there was no stock limit on such warehouses. But we have received complaints that cartelization is taking place,” Prasad said.
However, warehouses that export and keep raw materials for further processing will be exempt. Prasad added that the government is trying its best to ensure availability of onions at reasonable prices.
The government has taken a number of steps in the past few months to control prices and supply. Future trade in pulses such as urad and tur has been suspended. Export of pulses has been banned and there is zero duty on import of pulses. To ensure adequate availability, the government has sought to import 5000 tonnes each of urad and tur, which will be shortly available in the Indian market.
The cabinet also approved the setting up of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) for the development of sign language to help the country’s deaf.
“This decision will help the five million deaf community of the country. It shall provide for increased accessibility for the hearing impaired in education, in the workplace and in all activities of public life,” the government said.
ISLRTC will be set up as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and will aid in academic development, training and propagation of the Indian sign language. Development of sign language interpreters, research and development and new technology will be the focus area of the centre, it added.
The cabinet also gave its nod to the signing of a joint declaration of intent between India and Germany to enable higher education institutions in both the countries to benefit mutually to enhance innovative partnerships in the field of education, research and skill development. It also approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding between India and Cambodia for cooperation in the field of tourism.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs gave its nod to the development of four-laning of the Cuttack-Angul section of National Highway 42 in Odisha at an estimated project cost of ₹ 1,575 crore.
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