(a) whether the Government is aware that trading companies are indulging in hoarding and profiteering due to price rise of food grains and low minimum support price while farmers and consumers are incurring losses regularly; and
(b) if so, the details of the remedial measures taken by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b) : To ensure adequate availability of essential food items at fair prices in the general retail market, from time to time Central Government issues enabling orders to fix stock limits to carry out de-hoarding operations against hoarders of specified essential foodgrains based on which State take appropriate decision for imposing limits. Central Government also issues advisories to States/UTs for strict enforcement of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (EC Act) & Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act,1980 (PBMMSEC Act) from time to time. The States/Uts as enforcement agencies for EC Act, 1955 and PBMMSEC Act, 1980 take action against unscrupulous trading, blackmarketing, hoarding, profiteering and speculative trading.
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