Steps to control the prices of essential food items

The Government has taken a number of steps to control the prices of essential food items. These includes:-

· Regular review meetings on prices and availability trends are being held at the highest level.
· Higher MSP is announce like cereals, pulses and oilseeds to incentivize production and thereby enhance availability of essential food items which may also help moderate prices.
· A Plan Scheme titled Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) is being implemented to regulate price volatility of agricultural commodities.

· Advisory are issued to State Governments to take strict action against hoarding & black marketing and effectively enforce the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 & the Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980.
· Export of onion is being regulated through effective imposition of Minimum Export Price from time to time depending upon exigencies.
· The stock limits in respect of onion have been extended by up to 2nd July, 2016 and that of pulses up to 30.9.2016.
· Procurement of 15000 MT of onion by SFAC and NAFED for market intervention during lean period has been approved.
· Export of all pulses is banned except kabuli channa and up to 10,000 MTs in organic pulses and lentils.
· Import of onion and pulses are allowed at zero import duty.
· Government has approved creation of buffer stock of 1.5 lakh MT of pulses for effective market intervention in future.

This information was given by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.