THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(PROF. K. V. THOMAS)
(a) & (b): The percentage change in Wholesale Price Index (WPI) of essential commodities
during the last three months is given below:
Commodity/Item group Aug-13 Sep-13 Oct-13
Food Articles 19.17% 18.40% 18.19%
Cereals 15.57% 13.05% 12.00%
Pulses -14.70% -13.42% -11.19%
Vegetables 80.96% 89.37% 78.38%
Sugar -4.75% -7.49% -8.50%
Edible Oils -2.86% -2.58% -0.74%
Rise in the prices of essential commodities are normally due to several factors such as shortfall in
domestic supply related to demand, rising transportation cost, adverse weather conditions and
improvement in income and living standards with resultant changes in dietary habits.
Government has initiated several measures on the prices front to improve availability of essential
commodities such as import of various items of mass consumption at zero or concessional import duties
together with restriction on export, prescribing stock holding limits under Essential Commodities Act,
and allocation of foodgrains at affordable prices under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
(c) : Government monitors the Wholesale/Retail prices of select essential commodities
through data obtained from 57 Reporting Centres across the country on a continuous basis. The
prevailing price situation as well as other factors which have impact on prices both in domestic
and international markets are analysed, and based on this measures are taken to contain price rise
and increase the availability of essential commodities.
(d) : Strengthening and streamlining of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is a continuous
process. Government has regularly reviewed and has issued instructions to States/UTs to strengthen
functioning of TPDS by improving monitoring mechanism and vigilance, increased transparency in
functioning of TPDS, adoption of revised Model Citizens Charter, use of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) tools and improving the viability of Fair Price Shop (FPS) operations.
