Lok Sabha Question No. 1525 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: Rise in Prices of Vegetables, Pulses and Oil
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Smt. Rachna Banerjee

## Government of India

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1525 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2024

## RISE IN PRICES OF VEGETABLES, PULSES AND OIL

## 1525.  SMT. RACHNA BANERJEE:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware about the difficulties being faced by common man due to rise in prices of vegetables, pulses and oil in the country in recent years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to constitute a committee to find out the cause of this price rise and take corrective measures to bring down the price to provide relief to common man; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h (श्री बी.एल. वर्मा )

## 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, including potato, onion, tomato, pulses and edible oils, submitted by the 555 price monitoring centres 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.

(c) & (d)  : The Government keeps a close watch on the production, prices and availability of essential commodities through regular reviews by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC). The Committee reviews, on regular basis, the situation of prices and price trends in essential agri-horticulture commodities, causes of price rise and suggests measures to augment availability and to stabilise prices.

In  order  to  ensure  accessibility  and  availability  of  foodgrains  for  the  poor,  the  government  has decided to provide free foodgrains to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana  (PMGKAY)  for  a  period  of  next  five  years  with  effect  from  1 st January,  2024,  as  per  their entitlement (i.e. 35 kg of foodgrains per month per AAY household and 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month in case of Priority Household).

In order to tackle the volatility in prices, the government maintains buffer stocks of pulses and onion for market interventions through calibrated and targeted release to moderate the prices in the market. As a measure of direct intervention in the retail market, part of the stock of pulses from the buffer are converted into 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 are released in a calibrated and targeted manner to moderate prices in high price consuming centres at wholesale markets  and  through  retail  outlets.  Onion  is  distributed  among  retail  consumers  at  Rs.35  per  kg  through stationary  retail  outlets  and  mobile  vans  in  major  consumption  centres.  These  measures  have  helped  in making essential food commodities such as pulses, rice, atta and onion available to consumers at affordable prices and also in stabilising the prices.

*****