Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok
Chavan has said the Centre should reduce the Central Issue
Price (CIP) of wheat and rice by at least 25 to 30 per cent,
to encourage sale under the Open Market Sale Scheme.
"Maharashtra is one of first states to impose and
effectively implement stock-holding limits from time to time,"
an official release here today quoted Chavan as saying at the
recent conference of chief ministers on price rise in Delhi.
Speaking on reduction in the Central Issue Price, Chavan
said this would help in making these commodities available
throughout the state and help check further price rise.
On the enforcement of anti-hoarding measures by the
Department of Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection,
as per the Provisions of Essential Commodities Act 1955 and
Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of
Essential Commodities Act 1980, the chief minister said state
officials conducted 11,000 raids in 2009 alone, seizing
essential commodities worth Rs 300 crore.
Chavan said 80 per cent of the state population get
subsidised essential commodities of which 25 per cent account
for BPL and Antyodaya card holders.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 08, 2010, 22:33