Centre asks states to ensure wheat stock disclosures to bring transparency in its availability

The Centre has asked States to obtain disclosures of stock of Wheat with the Wholesalers or Traders, Retailers, Big Chain Retailers and Processors to check the unfair practices of any kind and to bring transparency in the availability of Wheat. In a move to moderate the price of Wheat and ensure easy availability in the market, Secretary Food and Public Distribution Sanjeev Chopra yesterday met with Food Secretaries of States through Video Conferencing.

During the meeting, Wheat Stock Limit Order Notified on Monday and its compliance was discussed in detail. The meeting cames a day after Centre imposed stock limits on wheat applicable to Wholesalers or Traders, Retailers, Big Chain Retailers and Processors. It also decided to offload wheat and rice under Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) – OMSS (D). The measures were aimed at cooling down the prices and prevent hoarding and speculation.

A User Manual regarding the submitting the stock has also been shared with State Government for ease of filling up of the data on the portal of Department of Food and Public Distribution. In case the stocks held by them are higher than the prescribed limit then they have to bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 30 days of issue of this notification. States and UTs have been given directions to ensure that all relevant entities subject to the stock limits declare and update the stock position of Wheat regularly every Friday on the portal and to immediately issue instructions for strict compliance of the stock limit as per Central order.

Access to the portal shall be given to the entities to make disclosure of stocks and State Government Authorities will have access to monitoring of stocks disclosed on the portal. During the meeting, Centre also informed about the Government decision of offloading the Wheat (15 Lakh Metric Tonnes of Wheat in the first phase) and Rice under OMSS (D) which are further expected to cool down the rising price of wheat and rice along with the products derived from them. These steps are taken to ensure consumers get the food grains like Wheat and Rice at affordable price.

This article has been republished from Newonair.gov.in