Lok Sabha Question No. 3177 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Prices of Essential Commodities
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Lata Wankhede

## Government of India

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3177 (OIH)

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025

## PRICES OF ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES

3177.   DR. LATA WANKHEDE:

(OIH)

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  stabilize  the  prices  of  essential  commodities  and  prevent hoarding;
- (b) the extent to which these efforts have directly benefited the general public;
- (c) whether it is a fact that 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme has proved to be a major achievement for migrant workers and the poor, making ration available to them easily anywhere;
- (d) the number of beneficiaries who have been benefited from this scheme so far; and
- (e) the steps being taken to make it more effective?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L.VERMA)

(a)  &  (b)  :    Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  monitors  the  daily  retail  and  wholesale  prices  of  selected essential food commodities, submitted by the 555 price monitoring centers that have been set up, with Central assistance, by the State Governments and UT Administrations across the country. The daily report of prices and indicative price trends are duly analysed for taking appropriate decisions such as release of stocks from the  buffer,  stock  disclosure  by  stockholding  entities,  imposition  of  stock  limits,  changes  in  trade  policy instruments  like  rationalisation  of  import  duty,  changes  in  import  quota,  restrictions  on  exports  of  the commodity etc. Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) reviews and deliberates, on regular basis, the situation of prices  and  price  trends  of  essential  agri-horticulture  commodities  and  suggests  measures  to  enhance availability through increased domestic production and through imports.

In order to tackle the volatility in prices, government maintains buffer stocks of pulses and onion for market interventions through calibrated and targeted release to moderate the prices in the market. Part of the stock of pulses from the buffer are converted to dals for retail sale to the consumers at affordable prices under the  Bharat  Dal  brand.  Similarly,  atta  and  rice  are  distributed  to  retail  consumers  under  Bharat  brand  at subsidized  prices.  Onion  from  the  buffer  had  been  released  during  September  to  December,  2024  in  a calibrated and targeted manner to moderate prices in high price consuming centres at wholesale markets and through  retail  outlets.  Onions  from  the  buffer  were  distributed  among  retail  consumers  at  Rs.35  per  kg through stationary retail outlets and mobile vans in major consumption centres. The government is closely monitoring the prices of edible oils and takes necessary measures to make it affordable to the consumers.

## ORIGINAL IN HINDI

To monitor the stock of pulses, the Department of Consumer Affairs advised State Governments to ensure disclosure of stocks by various entities like traders, dealers, importers, millers, stockists and big chain retailers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1995 through online stock disclosure portal. Powers to control hoarding under these Act have been delegated to States/ UTs. State/UT Governments are advised/sensitized from time to time to take appropriate action against hoarding and enforce the Act, effectively.

These measures have helped in making essential food commodities available to the general consumers at affordable prices and also in stabilising the prices. The overall food inflation rate had declined to 3.75% in February, 2025 from 10.87% in October, 2024.

(c  )  to  (e)  :    The  nation-wide  portability  of  ration  cards  has  been  enabled  in  all  36  States/UTs    under  One Nation  One  Ration  Card  (ONORC)  feature,  which  ensures  the  food  security  of  around  80  Crore  National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA) beneficiaries in the country. ONORC feature is proving to be very beneficial to the NFSA population who frequently change their place of dwelling in search of temporary employments, migrant  labours,  internally  displaced  persons  (IDPs)  etc. Under  the  feature,  the  NFSA  beneficiaries  are empowered to lift their entitled foodgrain from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice, anywhere in the country, by using their existing ration card with biometric authentication on an electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) device. The family back home can also lift the part of the PMGKAY foodgrains in the home State/UT on the same ration card. Since its inception, more than 168.5 crore portability transactions have been recorded under ONORC.

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