Lok Sabha Question No. 1607 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Hoarded Pulses
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, M. B. RAJESH, SUDHEER GUPTA, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, C. N. JAYADEVAN, RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, BAIJAYANT "JAY" PANDA, JOSE K. MANI, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, DALPAT SINGH PARASTE, RAVNEET SINGH, MEENAKASHI LEKHI, TARIQ ANWAR, VASANTHI M., KRISHNA RAJ, JAYADEV GALLA, ANANT KUMAR DATTATREYA HEGDE, PASHUPATI NATH SINGH, RAKESH SINGH, DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, MIDHUN REDDY, B.N. CHANDRAPPA, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL, NANABHAU FALGUNRAO PATOLE, RANJANBEN BHATT, SIRAJUDDIN AJMAL, SRIRAM MALYADRI, TAMRADHWAJ SAHU, VIRENDER KASHYAP, RODMAL NAGAR, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA

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

## Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1607

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2015

## HOARDED PULSES

1607.   KUNWAR  HARIBANSH  SINGH:  SHRI  ASHOK  SHANKARRAO  CHAVAN:  SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA: SHRI M.B. RAJESH: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI C.N. JAYADEVAN: SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA: SHRI  BAIJAYANT  JAY  PANDA:  SHRI  JOSE  K.  MANI:  DR.  SUNIL  BALIRAM GAIKWAD: SHRI DALPAT SINGH PARASTE: SHRI RAVNEET SINGH: SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI  LEKHI:  SHRI TARIQ ANWAR:  SHRIMATI  VASANTHI  M.: SHRIMATI  KRISHNA  RAJ:  SHRI  JAYADEV  GALLA:  SHRI  ANANTKUMAR HEGDE:  SHRI  PASHUPATI  NATH  SINGH:  SHRI  RAKESH  SINGH:  SHRI  D.K. SURESH: SHRI P.V. MIDHUN REDDY: SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL: SHRI NANA PATOLE: SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT: SHRI SIRAJUDDIN AJMAL: SHRI MALYADRI SRIRAM: SHRI TAMRADHWAJ SAHU: SHRI  VIRENDER  KASHYAP:  SHRI  NAGAR  RODMAL:  SHRI  NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

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

- (a) whether a huge quantity of hoarded pulses have been recovered from the traders in various States and if so, the details thereof indicating the number of raids/searches conducted and pulses seized, pulse and State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to sell these pulses in open market/PDS to check prices and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  some  States  including  Maharashtra  have  decided  to  make  the  hoarders  from whom these pulses were seized to sell them and if so, the details thereof and the benefits likely to accrue therefrom;
- (d) whether the Government has assessed the quantum of pulses required to be imported, if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and
- (e) the steps taken to ensure that importers do not spike the prices?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

## THE MINISTER FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) : The details are as per Annexure-I ;

(b) : The seized quantity is to be disposed according to the provisions of Section 6 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, by the enforcement officers in the districts concerned;

(c) : In Maharashtra, the seized quantities of pulses are being released to the concerned importers/traders against indemnity bond with the condition to sell the same at Rs. 100/per kg within Maharashtra.  This decision will help to improve the supply situation and bring down the prices of pulses in Maharashtra;

(d) : The  Government  decided  to  import  pulses  through  MMTC  under  the  Price Stabilization Fund.  MMTC imported 5000 MT of Tur Dal.  The stock was offered to the States at Rs. 69/- per kg.  A total of 4927 MT Tur Dal has been received and allocated to the States as per Annexure-II ;

(e) : Action against hoarding and blackmarketing is to be taken by the State Governments.  Government  of  India  has  already  empowered  the  States  to  enforce  stock limits on pulses and undertake effective anti-hoarding operations.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1607 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING HOARDED PULSES.

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## DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS ENFORCEMENT DATA UNDER ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT, 1955 (PULSES)

02.12.2015

| Sl.No   | State            | Raids conducted, quantity seized &quantity disposed (MT)   | Raids conducted, quantity seized &quantity disposed (MT)   | Raids conducted, quantity seized &quantity disposed (MT)   | Raids conducted, quantity seized &quantity disposed (MT)   |
|---------|------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |                  | Raids                                                      | Qty seized                                                 | Qty disposed                                               | Balance                                                    |
| 1       | Chhattisgarh     | 112                                                        | 5447.93                                                    | 2471.39                                                    | 2976.54                                                    |
| 2       | Haryana          | 1108                                                       | 14.60                                                      | Nil                                                        | 14.60                                                      |
| 3       | Karnataka*       | 1351                                                       | 25545.82                                                   | 1483.00                                                    | 24062.82                                                   |
| 4       | Madhya Pradesh   | 969                                                        | 3373.60                                                    | 1972.90                                                    | 1400.70                                                    |
| 5       | Maharashtra      | 5250                                                       | 86709.39                                                   | 43778.88                                                   | 42930.51                                                   |
| 6       | Telegana         | 1924                                                       | 3152.38                                                    | Nil                                                        | 3152.38                                                    |
| 7       | Rajasthan        | 797                                                        | 2643.77                                                    | 261.61                                                     | 2382.16                                                    |
| 8       | Jharakhand       | 140                                                        | 282.02                                                     | Nil                                                        | 282.02                                                     |
| 9       | Odisha           | 180                                                        | 1410.26                                                    | 1403.86                                                    | 6.40                                                       |
| 10      | Andhra Pradesh   | 1300                                                       | 1361.52                                                    | 352.50                                                     | 1009.02                                                    |
| 11      | Gujarat          | 203                                                        | 53.01                                                      | Nil                                                        | 53.01                                                      |
| 12      | Himachal Pradesh | 500                                                        | 3.42                                                       | Nil                                                        | 3.42                                                       |
| 13      | NCT Delhi        | 01                                                         | 81.29                                                      | 8.13                                                       | 73.16                                                      |
| 14      | Bihar            | 299                                                        | 360.41                                                     | Nil                                                        | 360.41                                                     |
|         | Total            | 14134                                                      | 130439.42                                                  | 51732.27                                                   | 78707.15                                                   |

*The High Court of Karnataka on 23.11.2015 declared the Department of Food & Civil Supplies' seizure of  pulses  stored  by  traders  as  "illegal"  and  ordered  the  release  of  pulses,  edible  oils  and  oil  seeds  from them.

- *****

ANNEXURE-II STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1607 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING HOARDED PULSES.

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## ALLOCATION OF IMPORTED PULSES TO STATES

| Sl.No.   | State/Agency   |   Allotted (MT) |
|----------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh |            1872 |
| 2.       | Tamil Nadu     |            1000 |
| 3.       | Delhi          |             700 |
| 4.       | Uttar Pradesh  |             250 |
| 5.       | Telangana      |             500 |
| 6.       | Orissa         |             300 |
|          | Balance        |             305 |
|          | Total          |            4927 |

*****