 Kolkata: The West Bengal Government on July 14 has brought potato under the West Bengal Prevention of Hoarding of Essential Foodstuff Order 2009, all over the state to hold the prices of potato.
The move is observed as a step to stabilise potato price, bars stocking of the commodity beyond a permissible limit. It also allows a government representative to inspect godowns having excess stocks. Under this order, wholesalers can stock up to 400 quintals of potato and 30 quintals by the retailers.
This order by government came almost a week after the state’s initiative to sell potato at Rs 13 a kg in some select markets in Kolkata and in some of the districts which, it claimed, received good response until now.
State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta stated that there was no provision of arrest under the Order as the Centre had relaxed such provisions under the Essential Commodities Act. The minister said the Order had provisions on edible oil and dal, ‘but it is not being implemented now.’
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