Steps taken to check price rise: Dhumal

Shimla, May 5 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today said several steps have already been taken to rein in the prices of essential commodities in the state.

Talking to reporters here, he said the government has asked the Food and Civil Supplies secretary, deputy commissioners and SDMs to maintain a check over the prices of essential commodities in their respective areas.

Taking exception to Union Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma's remarks on the state government's failure to check prices of food items, he said there was a huge difference in the words and deeds.

Mr Dhumal said the Centre should initiate some strict action to check the prices of food items.

The Food and Civil Supplies secretary would maintain a watch over the fair price shops under the public distribution shops (PDS) through the respective deputy commissioners and ensure that their was adequate supply of food items in the shops, he said.

Besides, he said, the SDM would personally visit the PDS shops and ensure that food supplies were maintained.

He said the country was exporting wheat to about 40 countries up to 2004, besides providing free food items to people above 65 under the Antodaya scheme.

However, the scheme was discontinued following a change of government at the Centre, he added.

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