Jamshedpur, May 25: Taking a firm step to check prices of �arhar dal�(split pigeon pea) , state food, public distribution and consumer affairs department will hold meeting with private wholesalers supplying pulses in the state on May 27 at Ranchi in the state.
State food and civil supplies minister, Saryu Roy, addressing media at the Circuit House in Jamshedpur today evening said that the state food and public distribution department secretary Vinay Choubey has been asked to inform the wholesale firms to ensure compliance of stock limit of arhar dal.
�We are concerned over the prevailing situation. Steps are being taken to control the price. The wholesalers will be asked to follow the stock limit and not exceed more than 500 quintals of arhar dal in their godowns. This has to be implemented strictly by the respective deputy commissioners of districts,� said Saryu Rai.
The minister further said that departmental secretary has already issued directive to all the deputy commissioners yesterday for ensuring compliance of stock limit.
�Apart from the stock limit of 500 quintals for wholesalers the stock limit for retailers is 50 quintals and this will be followed strictly to avoid hoarding and curb cases of increase of prices of arhar dals,� said Roy.
Incidentally, in Jamshedpur the wholesale price of arhar dal (as per records available in Krishi Utpadhan Bazaar Samity, Parsudih) is Rs 130 per kg, while it is available between Rs 138 � 145 per kg in the open market.
As part of long term measures to avoid such rise in prices of cereals, the minister informed that they will get a proposal of procuring arhar dal directly from Food Corporation of India godowns passed in the state Cabinet.
He also said that the department will ensure that supply chain management and distribution of food grains at public distribution shops (PDS) without any irregularities from August 15 onward.
�We have lot of long term plans. By August 15 we will ensure that electronic weight machines are installed at all the 25,000 PDS in the state along with �point of sale� machines which need to have thumb impression of the purchaser indicating that the purchaser gets the amount of food grains promised,� said Roy.
He also said that department has plans to convert PDS shops into retail units selling at low rates.