Check spurt in essential prices, Congress minorities wing chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail tells telangana government

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) minorities wing chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail on Sunday demanded that the State government impose a total ban on profiteering on essential commodities in view of the month-long lockdown.

Sohail said the lockdown since March 22 has led to a steep rise in prices of essential commodities. "The extension of lockdown till April 30 may result in further shortage of essential commodities and, consequently, it will lead to huge increase in their prices.

Therefore, the State government should fix maximum price for all products and issue necessary directions to all wholesalers and retailers to sell those products only at specific prices on no profit-no loss basis," he said.

The Congress advised that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee to control the rising prices during lockdown.

He said the Cabinet Sub-Committee should hold talks with rice millers, wholesalers and retailers to fix suitable prices for different quality of rice.

Further, the government should not collect surcharge or taxes on fuel for the vehicles carrying goods and other consumables.

Entire food material including rice, wheat, oil and other edible products should be totally exempted from VAT and other taxes during the lockdown period, he demanded.