(a) the mechanism for vigilance, monitoring and collection of market intelligence presently available with the Government to check the practice of hoarding and black marketing and ensure compliance of rules/laws by States in this regard; and
(b) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen data collection and analysis by the Price Monitoring Cells in different States and ensure their authenticity?
THE MINISTER OF
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)
(a) : The concept of ‘hoarding’ & ‘blackmarketing’ of essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 applies only if the storage, supply, distribution, trade or pricing of such a commodity is regulated by way of an order of Central Government or State Government or Union Territory. For taking action against hoarder, blackmarketeers and profiteers, the states and Union Territories are enforcement agencies.
(b) : To strengthen data collection and analysis, Government is providing financial support for strengthening the existing mechanism of price reporting and monitoring, both at centre and state levels mainly through infrastructure support, organizing training programmes, hiring professionals and conducting commodity specific studies. In addition, to improve coverage and ensure morel representative prices, 20 new price reporting centres have been added since April, 2015, taking the total number of reporting centres to 91.
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