Port Blair, Dec 4: A meeting of State Level Price Monitoring Committee was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Smt Rashmi Krishnan, Secretary (CS&CA) to discuss the price trends and availability of essential commodities and vegetables in the UT, and to assess and address any shortages that may arise due to inclement weather condition/Floods in Chennai. The meeting was attended by the officers of the Departments of Agriculture, Fisheries, RCS and Shipping as well as representatives of Andaman Chamber of Commerce, the Grain Dealers Association, CCS, ANIIDCO and other traders besides officers of CS&CA. The high prices of locally produced vegetable were also discussed and analysed during the meeting.
The participants agreed that the prices were jacked up by the middlemen and it was necessary to go in for effective market intervention to control the prices especially of green vegetables. The Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies informed that many of the agricultural produce Cooperatives were defunct except one, and that the outlets allotted to are being resumed by the Department. It was decided that the ANIIDCO in consultation with the Department of Agriculture needs to go in for procurement of vegetables from the farmers and sell these at reasonable prices from designated outlets. This would also provide farmers with better prices while providing relief to the consumers.
The leaders of the Chamber of Commerce agreed that the Administration needs to engage in intervention for effective price control, since even locally grown vegetables, where the transportation element was very minimal, were being sold at exorbitant prices. The Secretary, Civil Supplies, impressed upon the business community the need to ensure regular availability of all essential commodities in the market to reduce the hardships to the people.
The Secretary (CS&CA) requested the Shipping Services to make all out efforts to improve and provide regular transport facility for essential commodities to far flung area of Southern group of Islands so that essential goods and perishable items are available in time.
The representative of Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Grain dealers association informed that presently sufficient stocks of Onion , Potato & Tomato are available in the local market to cater the need for next 10 days and fresh consignment of these commodities are expected to arrive within the next 2-3 days.
The general public have been requested to inform the Department of Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs about any instances of black marketing and hoarding at the under mentioned Toll Free Number. 1800-3453-197 and Telephone No. 03192-230337.
