Cabinet takes stock of pulse prices, supply situation

With retail pulse prices soaring beyond Rs 200 per kg, the Cabinet today reviewed de-hoarding measures being taken by state governments and discussed ways to boost supply to control further spike in prices during the festive season. A group of ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is slated to hold a meeting in the evening today to discuss further on this issue, sources said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be present.

Even the Cabinet Secretary is reviewing the price situation of pulses separately. "The Cabinet today discussed availability and price situation of pulses in the country. It also took note of stringent enforcement of de-hoarding measures in states like Maharashtra," sources said.

The Cabinet was informed that the Maharashtra government had seized 23,340 tonnes of pulses during 276 raids carried out in 16 districts yesterday. The state government has also reimposed the stock holding limits on traders, sources said. It was also informed that much of the seized quantity of pulses was unmilled, largely from Mumbai, Thane and Panvel.

The state government is conducting raids in other districts. The Cabinet also made a note of falling prices of some varieties of pulses following these raids. It was informed that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is following up with other state governments to enforce stringent measures against hoarders and blackmarketeers of pulses, sources added.