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Food inflation rocks Tripura assembly
TIWN
Food inflation rocks Tripura assembly
PHOTO : Minister Bhanu Lal Saha replying to opposition on price rise. TIWN Pic September 3

AGARTALA, September 3 (TIWN): Tripura assembly expressed serious concerned over price rise of essential commodities and ever highest consumer price index (CPI) of vegetables and other food items on Wednesday.While food and civil supplies minister Bhanu Lal Saha admitted that CPI of vegetables and food items in Agartala is equivalent to Delhi, opposition alleged due to failure of the government to regulate the market and install price control mechanism, CPI has reached to 20.6 ever highest in the country.“The CPI of Meghalaya follows Tripura at 13.4, Nagaland 10.3, Mizoram 9.8, Assam 8.1 and Manipur 4.5 while average CPI of the country ranges between 9 and 10,” opposition legislator Ratan Lal Nath stated.

To counter the argument, Minister Saha stated that India does not have any law to regulate consumer markets and the state government can interfere in retail market unless there is specific complaint of hoarding, black marketing or packet items are being sold at more than maximum retail price.

“To control of food inflation and retail market, we have been demanding strengthening of public distribution system, amendment of essential commodities Act and comprehensive law to regulate consumer market for past few years but central government did not bother rather they are interested to de-regulate the market,” Saha alleged.

Protesting the minister’s statement, Congress legislator Ratan Lal Nath stated that Tripura’s standard of living and per capital income is much lower than Delhi. In Tripura more than 68 percent people are living below poverty line; so CPI comparison of Agartala with Delhi is irrelevant.

Moreover, except onion and potato, all other vegetables are being produced in Tripura or imported from nearest states but due to absence of government regulation in the local market both farmers and end consumers have been suffering from huge loss.

“Most of the fresh vegetables are procured by dealers from nearest sub-divisions from the marginal farmers at minimum price, as the state govt does not have any regulation to safe guard the farmers interest and the same produces are sold in Agartala and other parts of the state at three times more price in retail market and here also govt does not have any control,” Nath alleged.

He however, pointed out if government becomes vigilant in the market as per existing law, at least price of locally produced goods and package items can be controlled because the latest statistics revealed Tripura has set a record in touching highest consumer price index (CPI) of India in August.

Nath also suggested the government can announce minimum price of fresh vegetables, fish and other food items on weekly basis for the farmers and maximum retail price for the consumer easily to prevent the food inflation.

Similarly, onion and potato can be sold at government runs consumer federation counters at minimum profit to control the price hike in retail market like West Bengal but despite repeated request, the left front government did not do anything rather left the market to a section of dealers.

Opposition MLA Asish Saha protesting at Assembly on Wednesday. TIWN Pic September 3

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