Lok Sabha Question No. 3331 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: Stock of Essential Commodities
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RAMESH BIDHURI, J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE

## ORIGINAL IN HINDI

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.

## 3331

TO BE ANSWERED ON 6.1 2.201 6

## STOCK OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

## 3331. SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

(OIH) SHRI J.J.T. NATTERJEE:

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whetherthere exist guidelines to minimize or limit stocking of essential commodit by farmers, companies and traders and if so, the details thereof including the man which the Government fixes stock limit of essential commodities;
- (b) whether  the  Governm ent  is  planning  to  remove  the  stock  limit  guidelines  to  allo traders to buy from farmers and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is planning to establish a mechanism to address the issu concerning violation of stock limit and to rem ove/review stock limit guidelines and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether some traders have taken advantage of the lack of proper rules/ guideline stocking of essential commodities by hoarding and creating artificial scarcity and the detai ls thereof along with action taken plan by the Government to address the is and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to strengthen strategies to check hoarding and al the present law of checking hoarding to ensure availability of essential commodi s and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lhvkjpkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY )

*****

- (a)to(d) The  Essential  Commodities  Act,  1955  empowers  the  Government  to  control distribution, supply and prices of essential commodities including food items. V Order  No.G.S.R.800  dated  09.06.1978,  these  powers  have  been  delegated  to  the States/UTs.  Whenever t hey feel that there is an abnormal price rise or scarcity in t market in an essential commodity due to hoarding, they can impose limits on stora of the specific essential commodity after concurrence of the Central Government. T decision on the specif ic stock limits to be applied remains with the States/UTs.

The States & UTs are enforcement agencies to take action against violation of st limits,  speculators  creating  artificial  scarcity  etc.  under  the  Essential  Commo Act, 1955 and the Prev ention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980. Action taken by States during the current calend year is annexed.

- (e) The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the PBMMSEC Act, 1980 are adequate to check hoarding and to ensure adequate availability of essential commodities in the open market.

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to(d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3331 FOR 06.12 .2016 REGARDING STOCK OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES .

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ACTION TAKEN UNDER THE ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT, 1955 DURING 2016 (Relating to offences under EC Act -for violation of stock control orders)

Updated as on 02.12.2016

| Sl. No.   | STATES/UTs        | No. of Raids Conducted   | No. of Persons   | No. of Persons   | No. of Persons   | Value of goods Confiscated (Rs. In Lakhs)   | Detentions Ordered   | Reported upto              |
|-----------|-------------------|--------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | STATES/UTs        | No. of Raids Conducted   | Arrested         | Prosecuted       | Convicted        | Value of goods Confiscated (Rs. In Lakhs)   | Detentions Ordered   | Reported upto              |
| 1         | 2                 | 3                        | 4                | 5                | 6                | 7                                           | 8                    | 9                          |
| 1.        | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | Nil                      | Nil              | Nil              | Nil              | Nil                                         | Nil                  | July                       |
| 2.        | ASSAM             | 77                       | Nil              | 8                | Nil              | 8.50                                        | Nil                  | May (Except 01/2016)       |
| 3.        | BIHAR             | 54                       | 0                | 0                | 0                | 0                                           | Not Reported         | *                          |
| 4.        | CHHATTISGARH      | 81                       | 0                | 0                | 0                | 12.24                                       | Not Reported         | April to August            |
| 5.        | DELHI             | 79                       | 1                | -                | -                | -                                           | 3                    | July (Except 2/3/4/5/2016) |
| 6.        | GOA               | 23                       | Nil              | Nil              | Nil              | Nil                                         | Not Reported         | October                    |
| 7.        | GUJARAT           | 8208                     | 13               | 14               | -                | 122.37                                      | 12                   | October                    |
| 8.        | HARYANA           | 58                       | 46               | 5                | -                | 81.79                                       | Nil                  | August (Except 03/2016)    |
| 9.        | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 20226                    | -                | -                | -                | 20.81                                       | Not Reported         | August                     |
| 10.       | KARNATAKA         | 3266                     | 137              | 14               | 0                | 41.57                                       | Nil                  | September                  |
| 11.       | KERALA            | 5380                     | 38               | 26               | 8                | 4.11                                        | Nil                  | August                     |
| 12.       | LAKSHADWEEP       | Nil                      | Nil              | Nil              | Nil              | Nil                                         | Not Reported         | June                       |
| 13.       | MADHYA PRADESH    | 107                      | -                | -                | -                | -                                           | Not Reported         | June                       |

| 14.   | MAHARASHTRA   | 389   | 577   | 275   | 0   | 295.61   | 1            | October                    |
|-------|---------------|-------|-------|-------|-----|----------|--------------|----------------------------|
| 15.   | MANIPUR       | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   | Nil | Nil      | Nil          | August (Except 4/2016)     |
| 16.   | MIZORAM       | 44    | -     | -     | -   | -        | Nil          | September (Except 2/2016)  |
| 17.   | MEGHALAYA     | 2     | Nil   | Nil   | Nil | Nil      | Nil          | August                     |
| 18.   | NAGALAND      | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   | Nil | Nil      | Not Reported | January                    |
| 19.   | PUNJAB        | 923   | -     | -     | -   | -        | Not Reported | June                       |
| 20.   | RAJASTHAN     | 44    | 8     | 8     | 9   | 1.51     | Nil          | August & September         |
| 21.   | SIKKIM        | 71    | -     | -     | -   | -        | Nil          | August (Except 03/2016)    |
| 22.   | TAMILNADU     | 15821 | 4482  | 3121  | 118 | 84.38    | 117          | September                  |
| 23.   | TELANGANA     | 1395  | 177   | 5     | 5   | 804.6    | 7            | August                     |
| 24.   | TRIPURA       | 351   | 0     | 0     | 0   | 3.07     | Not Reported | August (Except 1/2/2016)   |
| 25.   | UTTARAKHAND   | 596   | 23    | 4     | -   | 0.8      | 4            | July                       |
| 26.   | UTTAR PRADESH | 11700 | 110   | 154   | 74  | 264.4    | Nil          | September (Except 06/2016) |
| 27.   | WEST BENGAL   | 504   | 163   | 30    | 2   | 10898.88 | Nil          | October                    |
| 28.   | A & N ISLANDS | 81    | -     | -     | -   | -        | Nil          | September                  |
| 29.   | CHANDIGARH    | Nil   | Nil   | 3     | 1   | Nil      | Nil          | September                  |
| 30.   | D & N HAVELI  | Nil   | Nil   | Nil   | Nil | Nil      | Not Reported | June                       |
| 31.   | PUDUCHERRY    | 677   | 2     | 8     | -   | 93.72    | Nil          | October                    |
|       | TOTAL         | 70157 | 5777  | 3675  | 217 | 12738.36 | 144          |                            |

Note : Other States have not submitted report so far.